Soon, everyone will hear the screams
by magkiln
Summary: The Citadel Council doesn't want another conflict. Their reputation rests on their ability to maintain the peace. The Alliance of United Systems doesn't want another conflict. They won the last one, no need to risk spoiling their record. Shepard doesn't want another conflict. The last one was ugly enough. Unfortunately, it seems that some people didn't get the memo.
1. Prologue

**Mass Effect is the property of Bioware and Electronic Arts, The Alien/Predator franchise belongs to 20th Century Fox.  
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 _It's taken a while to get to this point. I've lived in three different countries on two continents since I started writing fanfiction (welcome to academic life), but I'm finally ready to start the story of Commander Shepard, as set in a cross-over Mass Effect / AvP universe._

 _Obviously, the story will go very differently. The background universe is different: Humanity never joined the Citadel, so Shepard is not a Spectre candidate and the introduction of both the Predators and the Xenomorphs creates a fundamentally different threat. On top of that, I will continue to try to make characters behave with a modicum of common sense._

 _Most of the side quests will be left out. Those belong in a video game to build up a character, but story-wise they make no sense. Shepard is on a time-critical mission. She has no time to take Admiral Hacket's dog to the vet._

* * *

 _"Those who 'abjure' violence can only do so because others are committing violence on their behalf"_

 **George Orwell**

* * *

 **Unknown location**

The room would have been considered dark by most species, with only sparse red lights illuminating the occupants, but none of those present considered it problematic. Their eyes were sensitive enough and required no more light.

"Saren has been extremely successful. The project is near completion. He will proceed with the first release within the next few months."

"And he doesn't suspect?"

"Suspect what? That he isn't working alone?" The first speaker laughed; A cold, rattling sound. "Of course he suspects. Saren is a fool, but even so, he cannot miss the signs. He knows someone is helping him."

"And that does not worry you? All sapient beings resent being manipulated."

"His anger is focused on the humans. He will take his resentment out on them. As for his suspicions, the humans have made plenty of enemies. So, it's hardly surprising to Saren that he has found support, nor that those supporters wish to remain anonymous, especially in light of the events in the Torfan system. He may have his suspicions regarding the identity of his supporters, but as long as he doesn't suspect the truth those suspicions are irrelevant. He will play his part." The speaker paused for a moment, then continued. "We chose Saren for a reason. He was never too bright to begin with and his obsession with revenge robbed him of what little intelligence he had. His reactions are instinctive, fueled by anger, which makes him predictable, even more so than the average turian."

"And the asari? She's supposed to be intelligent."

Again, the first speaker laughed. "At one time, yes, but now? Her ego outgrew her understanding long ago. It leaves her vulnerable, open to suggestion, to the point where even Saren finds her easy to manipulate. You can forget about her. She no longer makes decisions. Saren controls her, and we can anticipate Saren's every move."

"You did not anticipate that he would approach the Geth," someone pointed out.

"No, that came as a surprise. In hindsight it does make sense, though. Even Saren couldn't fail to realize just how dangerous the Kiande Amedha are. He went looking for backup, an insurance policy, so to speak. And the Geth are perfect. The Kiande Amedha don't identify them as prey, so they tend to ignore them. If the protheans had been less fanatical in their anti-AI policies, they might have chosen a similar path. In the end, it may well work in our favour. The Citadel species are as dogmatic as the protheans when it comes to artificial intelligence. The presence of the Geth may be an advantage to Saren now, but it will cripple him in the long run."

"And what will the Geth do, in the long run?"

"Whatever they consider to be beneficial to their continued existence. Artificial Intelligences are even more predictable than turians. For the moment, they have come to the conclusion that cooperation with Saren's plans will benefit them. As long as they see it that way, they will cooperate with Saren. Once the input parameters change, they will decide on a new course of action. They may retreat, in which case it doesn't matter to us. Or they may attack, which will only increase the chaos. I think we can all see the benefit of that.

"All well and good," a fourth speaker said. "but we have a new problem. Saren has started a counterintelligence operation. He has infiltrated the Shadowbroker's network."

There was a moment of silence, then the first speaker answered, more cautiously this time.

"We're aware of that. However, that is unrelated to our involvement. Like so many others, Saren wants access to the Shadowbroker's information sources, without paying for the information. He isn't aware of the connection."

"And what if he becomes aware? Already, he has turned several of the Shadowbroker's key agents. If that continues-"

"Then nothing! The identity of the Shadowbroker is the best-guarded secret in the galaxy. None of the agents know who they report to. Saren could suborn them all and he would be none the wiser."

"And meanwhile, we would be blind, right at the crucial moment!"

"Enough!" A new voice cut through the debate. The speaker stood up, taller and heavier, she towered over the others. "We have spent centuries building up our intelligence network. We have complete insight into the information flow of both Citadel space and the Terminus. We are even making inroads in the human worlds. All of that, without risking a single one of our own people and without the slightest risk of betraying our presence. We will NOT sacrifice all that work to support your pet turian."

There was a moment of silence. Then she continued.

"We will allow this Saren a little more time. We will let him play his pathetic little games until the first deployment. But then we move. We will plug the leaks in the network and eliminate those who have betrayed the Shadowbroker. From that moment on, Saren is on his own."

* * *

 **United Systems Alliance HQ, Arcturus**

"Captain Anderson reporting, sir."

Admiral Hacket looked up from his reader. "Ah, come in, David, and have a seat. I've been expecting you. Tell me, how is Normandy?"

Anderson sat down. "Doing quite well, sir. We had some problems with the new drive-core, but I think we've ironed those out. The final report isn't complete, yet, but as far as I'm concerned, she's ready for active duty."

"Good, I'm glad to hear it. Unfortunately, I have some bad news for you. At least, I think you'll consider it bad news. You're about to be reassigned. No," The admiral lifted a hand to stop Anderson from interrupting. "This is no reflection on your performance, which has been excellent. However, there are other considerations. To put it bluntly, David, it's time for you to move on. You've been a field officer for most of your career. Not a bad thing, but you've reached the point where it limits your options for advancement. If you stay with Normandy, that's the end of your career. You'll never move beyond commanding a single ship. That would be a waste, and I don't like waste. So, I will cut you some new orders. You're being assigned to the Citadel."

"Sir?"

"We are expanding our embassy and we need a military liaison. You're the ideal candidate. You were one of the point men in our only peaceful first contact, which makes you acceptable to the Citadel Council. You also took part in the liberation of Shanxi, which makes you acceptable to USM HQ and the General Assembly. Now, I'm sure you're less than thrilled about the prospect, but this is the only way forward and I expect you to accept it with good grace. Understood? "

"Yes, sir."

"However, before you hand over Normandy to the next CO, we have a, ah, special assignment for you."

Anderson careful kept his face neutral. "Assignment, sir?"

"Yes. We have a situation on Eden Prime. You may have heard the rumours of some alien ruins found under the surface. Well, as it turns out, it's a bit more than that. Our people have uncovered a full-sized prothean city."

"Prothean, sir? Not...?"

"Definitely prothean. Which leaves us with a bit of an issue. As you may know, the Citadel Council claims first dibs on every prothean site within their territory. Officially that's to ensure that everyone benefits equally. In practice, well, I have my thoughts on the subject. Of course, this particular prothean ruin is not in their territory, but Eden Prime has always been a bit of a special case."

Anderson nodded. The Eden Prime colony was something of a unicum in the Alliance of United Systems. Not located in the pre-war United Systems territory, or in the newly claimed Skyllian Verge, it could be argued that it lay in the demilitarized zone that had been created after the First Contact War. When human explorers found the garden world, the Citadel Council had agreed to cede the planet to them for colonization, on the condition that this particular planet would be exempt from the restrictive 'humans only' policies that applied to the rest of human space. As such it had become something of a social experiment. To everybody's surprise, the colony had flourished. It had quickly become a major waystation for interstellar trade and held the only significant non-human minority population of all human worlds.

"I understand, sir. Are we then to allow a Council research team on site?"

"A few of them are already there," Hacket said. "There were a few non-human xeno-specialists and historians among the non-human population of Eden Prime already. They were there to study us. Of course, they jumped at the chance of studying a fresh prothean dig site. Unfortunately, that also meant that the council got news of the latest discovery. We've found working prothean technology and not just a few odds and ends. Seems like we stumbled across the holy grail."

That was a surprise. From the little Anderson had heard about the prothean ruins found throughout the galaxy they tended to be long on ruins, but short on functional tech, and what little tech remained in anything like working condition was usually pretty basic. True high-end technology was few and far between.

"If I may ask, sir. What is it?"

"Well, that was the trillion credit question. The Citadel Council wasn't very forthcoming initially, but in the end, they told us that it's a beacon. A form of FTL communication. Apparently, they have been found before, but never in a working condition. I'm not sure if aliens salivate, but if they do, the council must be practically drooling at the thought. Apart from the FTL technology itself, which is almost certainly more advanced than anything in existence today, such a system would contain a database as well. There is a lot to be learned." Hacket shrugged. "In any case, they have been pushing hard for access and the Assembly, in its wisdom, has decided to grant it. We're going to transport the beacon to the Citadel, where council experts can take a crack at it."

"Just like that, sir?"

Hacket smiled, rippling the scar on his cheek. "Oh, not just like that. There have been concessions all around. Ambassador Udina has been leveraging this into a major diplomatic coup. The man's been in diplomat heaven ever since we realized what we had. But that leaves us with the matter of getting it to the Citadel. This beacon... there is no way to even begin to establish its value and while the Council's experts may be the most qualified to analyze it, they are certainly not the only ones with the skill. So, we have some major security concerns. Because of its location, Eden Prime isn't as well defended as it should be and we have no major fleet presence there. I wouldn't put it past some of the Terminus warlords to make an attempt at smash and grab, either on Eden Prime itself or during transport. That's where you come in.

"Normandy will handle the transport, sir?"

"Yes, between your stealth technology and speed, you should have no problem getting the beacon to the Citadel. But there is a catch. The Council wants one of their Spectres to supervise the transition, a turian."

Anderson could barely keep his jaw from dropping to the floor.

"Sir, to let a Spectre aboard one of our newest warships, then let him run around Eden Prime? That is an open invitation for espionage!"

"Exactly, captain. Don't get me wrong. If this Spectre minds his own business, then everything is fine, but there are some people who wouldn't mind if he tried to poke his nose, or whatever it is that turians poke, where it doesn't belong. We can always use some additional leverage and an incident like that..." He shrugged. "Frankly, captain. I don't like it. We shouldn't be playing this kind of game. There is too much to be lost and not enough to be gained. But the decision has been made. You will rendezvous with a Council vessel and take on a turian Spectre called Nihlus Kryik. From there you will proceed to Eden Prime, secure the beacon and bring it to the Citadel, where ambassador Udina will formally present it to the Council. That's if everything goes according to plan. If this Spectre crosses the line, you neutralize him. Alive if possible, dead if necessary, and the beacon stays in human hands until further notice."

"I understand, sir. But, with all due respect, how are we going to do that? This is a Spectre we're talking about. Supposedly the best the council can find. I used to be pretty good, but at my age, I don't see myself taking on the likes of him in a stand-up fight."

Hackett nodded. "Don't worry about that, captain. We've got the right person for that particular job. You're about to receive a new first officer. She's due for a promotion anyway and will command Normandy once you've taken up your new duties on the Citadel. She'll take care of this Spectre if the need arises."

"She?"

"Commander Shepard. You may have heard of her."

"Shepard?" It took only a second before Anderson made the connection. "You mean …?"

"Exactly, that Shepard."

* * *

 **Council chamber, the Citadel**

"Tevos, I understand we have news?" Councillor Sparatus asked.

"Indeed. The humans have accepted our proposal. One of their warships, the Normandy, will pick up Nihlus and take him to Eden Prime to secure the beacon."

"That's good to hear." Sparatus visibly relaxed. The negotiations had been long and painful; as was the list of concessions that the human ambassador had wrung from them. "Any last-minute surprises?"

"Just one. They sent along a crew manifest for their ship. Not much of interest, except for one person. The second-in-command is one Commander Shepard. You may recognize the name."

"Shepard?" Sparatus thought for a moment. "The name sounds familiar, but I cannot quite place..."

Tevos grimaced. "Think 'lots of dead batarians'."

"Ah, yes, now I remember; the Butcher of Torfan. Curious that the same grandiose nickname works so well in both human and batarian language. Still, she's a rather curious choice for this particular assignment, wouldn't you say."

"For the assignment, yes, but not for the situation in general. This Shepard isn't there for the beacon, she's there as a deterrent for Nihlus. I just spoke with Valern. After the Torfan incident, STG compiled a fairly comprehensive dossier on Shepard and they've been keeping track of her ever since. According to the reports, she didn't get that nickname just because she's ruthless, she is personally lethal in combat."

"Ah, I see. We send a Spectre, an expert in violence, and they counter that by putting an expert of their own on board."

"Precisely. And they make sure we know it too, by picking the one person who is well known. At first glance, they're not very subtle, but I think there is an underlying message as well. Basically, they're saying: 'You are aliens and therefore not to be trusted. So, we send a killer to make sure you don't overstep. But we only send one, because, after all, you're only aliens, therefore one should be sufficient'. There is a definite edge of contempt to it, a challenge, almost. They may actually be hoping that Nihlus will give them an excuse to act."

"Well, let's hope there will be no unpleasantness."

"I doubt there will be. We picked Nihlus for a reason. He won't try anything stupid. So, if this Shepard doesn't start a fight everything should go smoothly and we can all be polite to each other and pretend that we're the best of friends."

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 _And so it begins._


	2. The silence before the storm

**I don't own either Mass Effect of Alien vs Predator.**

* * *

 **USM Normandy, Eden Prime system**

One moment, space was empty; the next moment, a small warship appeared in a multicoloured flash of light. To the casual observer, the ship would have been something of a curiosity. On the one hand, it was clearly a human warship, as indicated by the external engine pods and the lettering on the hull. On the other hand, the design itself appeared to deviate from the human standard. Whereas typical human ships had a boxy, almost unfinished look, this vessel appeared to be streamlined, with a smooth, elongated hull and swept-back wing structures clearly intended to facilitate atmospheric flight.

"Jump complete." The ship's pilot went through the standard post-jump routine. "Thrusters, check. Navigation, check. Internal emission sink, engaged. All systems online. Drift, just under 1500 kilometres."

The voice that answered him was definitely non-standard. In fact, it was probably the first time in history that that kind of flanged voice had sounded on the bridge of a United Systems Military ship.

"1500 kilometres is good. Your captain will be pleased." With a stiff nod, the turian stepped back and left the bridge.

"I hate that guy."

The man in the seat beside the pilot snorted. "You, a human officer, just got a compliment from a turian Spectre. That has to be something of a first in the history of the universe, and you hate him?"

The pilot snorted. "He said I was good. You know what's good? If you remember to zip up your pants after taking a leak. Me, I just jumped us halfway across the galaxy and hit a target the size of a pinhead. That's not good, that's incredible. Besides, Spectres are trouble. I don't like having one on board. Call me paranoid-"

"You're paranoid."

"-but the whole thing stinks." The pilot continued as though his companion had not spoken. "What is that guy doing here, anyway?"

"Did you sleep through the briefing? He's here to pick up that Prothean beacon we found on Eden Prime."

"Yeah, well, that's the official story. Only a fool believes the official story."

"I see we're setting a new standard for professionalism on this ship." A dry voice interrupted their conversation.

"Commander Shepard." The pilot turned around in his seat. " I hadn't heard you enter."

"That happens when you talk too much, Mr Moreau," The woman standing in the door opening said. "You lose track of your surroundings. Not such a good thing for a pilot. Not that you were necessarily wrong. A Spectre is not the most logical choice for this assignment. Now, if they'd sent an archaeologist or even an engineer, that would have made a lot more sense. But a Spectre..."

"So, you think there is more going on than the captain is telling us?" The pilot asked eagerly.

The woman shrugged. "Does that surprise you? Welcome to life in uniform. In my experience, there is always more going on than we're told. In this particular case, though, what did you expect the captain to say? Something along the lines of 'Please welcome aboard our new passenger, Spectre Nihlus Kryik, our new favourite contender for most obvious spy in galactic history'? Or how about, 'Because they're sending us such an obvious spy, the brass on Arcturus Station have decided to give him access to the latest, most advanced warship we have, just to see if he takes the bait'? That wouldn't have been very diplomatic, now would it?"

"You believe Kryik is a spy?" the man next to the pilot asked.

"Well, of course he is, Lieutenant Alenko. Don't get me wrong, I don't expect to find him searching through the captain's desk while twirling his moustache-" "Which would be kinda difficult for a turian." the pilot interjected. "That too, but in any case, I would expect a Spectre to be too smart to give himself away like that. Still, you cannot tell me that he isn't carefully recording everything he sees and hears. He'd be an idiot if he didn't. Besides-

The intercom interrupted their conversation. "Bridge, this is captain Anderson. Status report?"

The pilot spoke up.

"We've cleared the mass relay, sir. Stealth mode is engaged, all systems running normal."

"Good. Link us to the local network. I want ongoing mission reports relayed to Arcturus HQ with full visual."

"Aye aye, captain." The pilot was silent for a moment, then he continued. "Head up, sir. I think our turian guest is on his way to see you."

"He's already here, Lieutenant. Tell Commander Shepard to meet me in the briefing room." The intercom fell silent.

"And, that's my cue." Shepard turned. "The captain sounds unhappy."

"He always sounds like that when he's talking to me."

"I wonder why." Lieutenant Alenko muttered.

 **-o-o-o-**

It wasn't just the outside of Normandy that deviated from the standard for human warships. Whereas previous frigates had followed a conventional design with corridors that gave access to separate rooms, the design of Normandy had deviated from that concept. There were no corridors. The bridge was at the front and opened directly to the command and control centre. Behind that were stairs and an elevator that gave access to other decks and behind those was a general purpose area that could serve a variety of purposes, including that of briefing room. It was a very efficient design that made the most of the available space. Of course, it was not without its drawbacks. Without the corridors, there was no effective way to separate the individual areas, which made the ship more vulnerable to structural damage and less capable of isolating damaged sections.

Then again, Shepard thought as she entered the command centre, a ship as small as Normandy wasn't really capable of absorbing damage anyway. It was either intact or a wreck. For frigates, the trick was not getting hit in the first place.

"He just came stalking by." Pressly, the navigation officer was talking into the intercom. "I'd say like a man on a mission', but-"

"But instead we'll call him a turian on a mission." Shepard had not been on board long enough to be able to recognize everyone by voice, but it sounded like Adams, the chief engineer. "Wel, that fits. He's a Spectre. They're supposed to be on missions. Don't sweat it. We've got everything locked down tight. If he wants to get into engineering, he's gonna need a plasma cutter."

"Is there a problem?"

Pressly turned around to face her. "No, ma'am. Just checking up on our security."

Shepard's eyebrows rose a fraction. "That sounds like there is a problem. Do we have security issues?"

"Not right now ma'am. But we do have a turian on board."

"Ah, yes. Our new pet Spectre. And you're worried about him breaking into engineering."

"Perhaps I'm prejudiced. My father died in the first contact war. But that doesn't mean I'm wrong. I don't care whether he works for the Hierarchy, the Council, or both. The aliens saw an opportunity to put a spy on board one of our ships and they jumped on it."

Shepard nodded. "It certainly looks like it. Not much of a surprise, really. When will they get another chance to put one of their people aboard a human warship? "

"Then why let him on Normandy, ma'am? Any ship could have made this run. We could have sent one of the old Rapid Deployment Vessels, or even a destroyer. Nothing there that isn't common knowledge unless he got access to the tactical database, but Normandy? The one ship in the fleet where he can be an effective spy just by walking around the right compartment. Allowing him on board is like letting a dog into a butcher's shop. Hell, we're practically begging him to spy on us."

"We are, aren't we. Makes you wonder what the top brass have in mind. Then again, you might also wonder why they put me on board. They've had me holding a desk job at headquarters for over a year, now. Then, all of a sudden, I'm told to report for ship duty. Aboard Normandy, of all ships. I'm not an engineer, so they don't need me for systems evaluations. And I'm certainly not a science type. I'm not sure I would recognize prothean tech if I tripped over it. The only reason to put me on board a ship like Normandy is if someone expected her to go into combat. So, why did I suddenly get this assignment? When you look at it that way, my being here makes less sense than that Spectre's."

Pressy's eyes narrowed. "Wait, ma'am. Are you saying that-"

"I'm not saying anything, Mr Pressly. We're just having a casual conversation." Shepard smiled. "Meanwhile, I suggest that you go on making sure that Normandy's systems remain as secure as humanly possible. Should there be any turian-related breaches, well, why don't you let me worry about that?"

With a nod, Shepard moved on. Past the tactical display, past the elevator where the ships medical officer was talking to one her marines. From the few words Shepard picked up, she was busy crushing his dreams of fame and glory. That was good. People looking for glory inevitably wound up getting either themselves or other people killed.

She entered the briefing room. There was no sign of captain Anderson. Only Nihlus Kryik, the turian Spectre, who was looking at a viewscreen that showed what appeared to be a tourist guide to Eden Prime.

 **-o-o-o-**

"Commander." As much as he seemed absorbed in the documentary, the turian had heard her enter the room.

"Spectre."

"I'm glad you're the first to arrive. I believe your captain will be joining us soon, but I was hoping to talk to you for a moment."

"Is that so?" Shepard pointed at the screen. "Are you thinking of immigrating?"

"No. I was simply curious about this place. Eden Prime is something of a symbol for your people, isn't it? Proof that you are able to interact peacefully with the rest of the galaxy. But how secure is it, really?"

"Is that supposed to be a warning or a threat?"

"Neither, Commander, simply a question. It's a big galaxy and there are all kinds of threats out there. Are your species really prepared to meet them?"

Shepard's lips twisted into something that could, with some imagination, be called a smile. " I think we've done okay, so far."

"Ah, yes, you would think that. And you may well be right. Still, threats can take many forms. And not all of them can be countered with a fleet and an army."

"Is that so."

"Absolutely, Commander." The Spectre turned away from the screen. "Invasions and pirate raids are simple threats. One can see them coming, prepare for them, and fight them off. It's the small things that are truly dangerous. The ones you don't even notice until it's too late. Especially, if they're not as small as you think. In my profession, you see those a lot. I remember this one case, on Degeris. Local authorities were practically begging for help. They were suffering this whole string of murders, all over their capital city. Law enforcement seemed incapable of dealing with it. I thought it would be straightforward. Then I got there and it turned out that they had nothing. Just a few hundred mutilated corpses. No connection between the victims, no connection between the locations. And not a trace of the killer. Some were hacked apart in broad daylight. And these were turians, military trained, many of them armed."

"Hacked apart?"

"Yes, definitely blade work. Pieces missing too, mostly heads and talons. As though the killer was taking trophies. We even caught some of it on the security cameras. You could see the victim being sliced open. But no sign of whatever was doing the slicing."

"Infiltrator cloak?"

"That's what we thought," Nihlus nodded briefly. "But it was the best cloak we'd ever seen. It seemed to stay active forever, and even when the victims fought back, it never failed."

Shepard considered briefly. "Not completely unexpected I suppose. Everyone is working to improve those cloaks. Sooner or later, someone is bound to succeed."

"Perhaps, but just one person working on their own? This wasn't some holodrama. In real life, it usually takes a lot more than one mind to get something like that done. Even so, we didn't have anything else to work with. So, we adjusted the scanners all the way to far infrared and tracked the heat signature. Not really an image, just a blob that glowed on the screen. In the end, we cornered him in an industrial warehouse. Some abandoned building that should have been torn down. Next thing we know, there is a roar and that building and a few around it are turned to rubble. The Spectre was silent for a moment. "We lost a lot of good people that day."

"So, whatever it was, it suicided rather than be captured."

"I wish! No, it wasn't an explosion. It was a ship taking off. Problem was, we couldn't see it. Somehow it had been buried underneath that building. It took off, right in front of us and we saw nothing."

"Wait." For the first time since the conversation began, Shepard was actually shocked. "The _ship_ was cloaked?"

"Unbelievable, right? I certainly didn't believe it. It's one thing to use an oversized drive core as emission sinks the way the salarians do for the STG ships and I assume was implemented into this frigate." He made a weird noise that the translation software interpreted as a laugh. "Yes Commander, I figured that part out the moment your ship showed up on sensors. The drive core is too large for the ship, and there is really only one reason to build like that. Your Mr Pressly is wasting his time with those desperate attempts to keep me from learning anything about this ship. I will not attempt to break into a restricted area or hack into your computers. That would be foolish. I already know what I needed to know. The technical details are of no interest to me. In any case, that's an old trick. Expensive, but straightforward. But it doesn't truly hide the ship. Anyone looking out of a window can still see it. This ship was invisible. We looked straight through it. And that should have been impossible. An improved infiltrator cloak for one person is one thing, I can believe that some twisted genius finds a way to design and build that on his own. But a cloaked ship? That is a whole different level of technology. Even if it were possible it would take a major organisation with a lot of resources just to come up with the theory, let alone build it. And if such an organisation existed, why would they allow some insane murderer to play with it. It would be worth billions on the arms market."

"Where it hasn't appeared," Shepard noted. "as far as I'm aware."

"Indeed. So, tell me Commander, which explanation do you prefer? That some madman managed to design and build a cloaked ship on his own just for the purpose of going on a killing spree; that some research team designed and built it, then used mass murder as a proof of concept and managed to sell it without anyone knowing about it; or that there is someone out there, someone big and powerful, who are capable of building and deploying a system like that and consider it so trivial that they're willing to let it be used as a toy by some deranged murderer. To be honest, I'm not sure which explanation frightens me more." Nihlus made a gesture. It had no human meaning, but Shepard had the idea he was basically shrugging. "In any case, Commander, the reality is that the galaxy is very big and we really don't know more than a small fraction of it. If it's not near a relay, we just never go there. Like your people, for example. You were expanding in space for two centuries before we met. Who knows how many other civilizations are out there and what they are capable of?"

Shepard shrugged. "I guess we'll find out, eventually. And when we do, well, then we will deal with them, one way or another."

"Not all problems can be solved with violence, Commander."

"Really? Curious that a Spectre should say that. I thought solving problems with violence was pretty much your job description."

This time the turian seemed genuinely amused. "We're not quite as bloodthirsty as your government likes to portray us, Commander. I cannot speak for the others but in my personal experience, whenever you solve a problem with violence, you end up creating new problems."

"Which you can solve with more violence."

Behind them, the door opened.

"Commander Shepard, Spectre Kryik." Captain Anderson walked in. "Anything I should know about?"

"No, sir. Just debating the merits of violence as a universal problem solver."

"I see. Well, I'm afraid that discussion will have to wait. We'll be at Eden Prime within the hour. Unfortunately, there seems to be something of a communications breakdown. I have been unable to reach port authorities."

"I see." No human had ever learned to properly interpret turian facial expressions, but it was not hard to see that Nihlus was far from happy. "I presume that that is not a normal occurence."

"Far from it. Eden Prime is one of the busiest interstellar trading hubs in the United Systems. Port authority should _always_ be available for communications. I don't like this. Not one bit."

"Bridge to captain Anderson." The pilot's voice came through the speaker.

"This is the captain."

"Sir, we're getting a messag from Eden Prime. It's a distress signal."

 **!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-**

 _Because the political situation is so different from canon, the conversations have to go differently as well. Still, it seemed reasonable enough to Nihlus would want to talk to Shepard for a bit. After all, this is probably the only chance any Spectre would get to talk to the 'Butcher of Torfan' personally._

 _I left out the conversation with Chakwas and Jenkins. That's a typical case of things that happen in videogames but otherwise don't make sense. Can you imagine in real life: The captain orders the XO to meet him and the XO shows up half an hour late because he stopped on the way to talk with all kinds of people. Not a good way to earn a promotion. Talking to Pressly can be excused as ship's business, but the rest ..._


	3. Combat drop

**I don't own either Mass Effect or the AvP franchise**

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 **USM Normandy, on approach to Eden Prime**

"This is Dog Squad for Unit 212 command, we're under attack! I repeat we're under attack. Multiple hostiles inbound, we need-"

The image froze, showing a USM marine in full combat armour.

Captain Anderson looked around the briefing room, where two other humans and a turian were watching the recording. "That was the last communication from that unit before they were cut off. As far as we can tell they have made no further attempts to communicate. Nor has there been a response from the 212, who, according to our latest information, were tasked with guarding the prothean dig site. At the moment the entire colony is under communication black-out and both observation and communication satellites have been destroyed. No indication as to the nature of the enemy. We've deployed recon drones, but considering our approach speed, they'll arrive over Eden Prime's primary colony about the same time that we hit the planet ourselves."

"Pirates?" Lieutenant Alenko suggested.

"Possibly. But if so, I'd expect more electronic noise. Whoever is doing, they're maintaining excellent communication discipline. In any case, the colony is on the far side of the planet, so with the satellites down, we don't have direct observations. In any case, we have to assume that whoever is doing is here for the beacon. And that means we have to do all we can to stop them. Unfortunately, Eden Prime does not have a naval squadron assigned. I've informed HQ and Arcturus is scrambling ships, but it will take them hours to deploy. For the moment, we're it. Commander Shepard?"

"Sir."

"You will deploy ground-side with a full combat unit. Spectre Kryik, I assume you wish to accompany them?"

The turian nodded stiffly. "That is correct, Captain. The beacon must not fall into the wrong talons."

"Wait," Shepard spoke up. "That's easier said than done. Half a dozen marines and one turian against god knows what. What if we cannot secure the beacon? Do we destroy it?"

Captain Anderson considered for a moment. "Not an easy call to make. Spectre, your judgement? What's preferable? The beacon intact but in enemy hands, or permanently destroyed?"

Turian faces were covered in hard plates and didn't really twitch the way human faces did, but Kryik's discomfort was clear even to an untrained observer. "That's an impossible choice captain. The data in that beacon, the technology... To lose it forever would be a terrible waste, not to mention the effect it would have on the relationship between your people and the Citadel if humans destroyed such an extraordinary find. But to let someone else carry it off..." His talons snapped together in what appeared to be a sign of frustration. "No. Destruction is too final. If it is captured it can still be retrieved. Commander, on my authority as Council Spectre, I strongly urge you not to destroy the beacon, even to prevent the enemy from carrying it off. I may change that judgement depending on what we're facing, assuming I'm still alive at that point, but that's my recommendation based on my current understanding of the situation."

Shepard nodded. "Fair enough. That leaves the matter of insertion. No matter what is going on, I think it's safe to say that we lack the firepower to engage the enemy head-on, either in space or on the ground, so we'll have to keep a low profile. We're already in stealth mode and Lieutenant Moreaux will keep the planet between us and the enemy for as long as possible. Even if the enemy detected the relay transit, they will not see us coming in until we enter the atmosphere. For the same reason, we'll deploy on foot. We're not planning on fighting a battle. Stealth is the key, not firepower. Bringing the MAKO would just painting a giant target on us."

She stood up. "Sir, with your permission, I'll go and brief my team."

Anderson nodded. "Go ahead, Commander. I'll keep you informed of any new developments."

 **-o-o-o-**

Four marines in combat gear were assembled in Normandy's cargo bay when Shepard and Alenko walked out of the elevator. All were dressed in the drab grey-brown-green combat armour of the United Systems Military. That colour pattern had remained mostly the same over the preceding decades, but the equipment itself had changed considerably. Whereas their predecessors in the First Contact War had gone into battle wearing light, flexible body armour, these marines were wearing battlesuits reinforced with armour plates, which, though still considered only light armour by the standards of most species and organisations, gave at least some protection against mass accelerator fire. Their weapons had changed as well. The Lacrimae assault rifles, which had been the mainstay of the United Systems marines had recently started to give way to the new Draco Double Burner weapon systems. The new armour was generally appreciated, especially by the older generation who had unpleasant memories of turian mass accelerator rounds that ripped straight through body armour and body alike. The new weapons were a more dubious issue. A generation earlier, the Lacrimae had had a tough time gaining acceptance from those who had been used to the venerable M41 Pullsrifle, and its reputation had suffered during the First Contact War when put against turians, whose armour had proved a tough nut to crack for the Lacrimae's light bullets. Still, it had been a known quantity and the high tech grenade launcher had been appreciated for its accuracy and versatility. Now it was being phased and it looked like its successor faced the same uphill struggle to gain acceptance amongst the rank-and-file.

"Listen up!" Shepard took a quick look to ensure that everyone was paying attention. "By now, I'm sure you've all heard the good news. Our milk-run just turned into a combat drop. Unfortunately, we don't have the slightest idea what's going on. Could be pirates, could be the batarians are back for another round. I have absolutely no idea what we're going to find. So, we'll have to figure it out along the way, but make sure you keep one thing in mind: No matter what is happening down there, there is no way the six of us are going to fix it. We have a limited objective, to secure the beacon, if at all possible. That means we have to be able to get close and that will require stealth. The only other objective is to gather information. Again, that works better if we remain undetected. Avoid combat when you can, stay alive and get the job done. This is not the time for heroics. "

She looked at one of the marines.

"Jenkins, you're from Eden Prime, correct?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Good. You're staying close to me. I may need your advice on local conditions."

Jenkins grinned. "Yes, ma'am. It's an honour, ma'am."

"Careful, with that enthusiasm, Jenkins."

"Just eager for my first mission, ma'am."

 _Don't roll your eyes, don't roll your eyes,_ Somehow she managed to restrain herself. "You'll be fine, marine. Just remember your training, and don't forget to duck." Shepard made herself smile, though she was not feeling particularly humorous. Enthusiasm was good, but only in small quantities, and maintaining the correct balance between eagerness and caution was always tough, especially with rookies straight out of training. It also wasn't her job, strictly speaking. Depressing enthusiasm was part of an NCO's function, not the officers'. Unfortunately, she didn't have any NCOs available. The marine unit aboard Normandy was so small -only half a rifle squad- that she was stuck with five privates. There should have been twice as many, with at least a corporal in charge, but Normandy was still on her shakedown cruise and the brass hadn't thought it necessary to embark her full ground combat team. That left a massive hole in the table of organisation between herself and Lieutenant Alenko on one hand, and the five marines on the other. Fortunately, Alenko was good with personnel issues, better than she was in fact and, somewhat to her surprise, he had managed to overcome the unease that many people felt around biotics. Still, it was in moments like this that she missed having an experienced sergeant around to kick the behinds of overeager puppies like Jenkins.

She turned to address the rest of the unit. "One more thing. Because of the situation with the beacon, our turian guest is going to accompany us. He's supposed to be able to handle himself, but he's not used to playing with our kind of team; so, everyone, make sure to stay out of his line of fire and try not to have any friendly-fire accidents yourselves either. The Citadel Council would like to get their Spectre back in one piece and I shudder to think of the paperwork I'd have to fill out if one of you apes puts a round into him."

There were some chuckles.

"Now, everyone, sit down and relax. We have another hour before we can hit the dirt."

 **-o-o-o-**

 **Eden Prime, main colony**

WIth roaring engines, USM Normandy swept over the ridgeline and braked sharply to hover just above the ground.

"Go! go! go!"

Seven figures, six human and one turian jumped out of the cargo hold.

"Shepard to Normandy, team is dirtside, GO!"

The engines roared again and the frigate lifted off, moving up and away from the small landing force.

"Everyone, check comm-gear. Alenko, link in on the local network an see what we're dealing with." Shepard walked the few steps to the edge and looked around. From where they were they had a perfect view over the city. It wasn't looking good. Even from this distance, the place looked a mess. Several of the massive pre-fab high rises that had been installed with the initial settlement were on fire, the smoke billowing up in dark clouds that obscured parts of the city. There was no sign of enemy warships, or atmospheric craft and the defensive gun platforms that should have protected this part of the planet were silent.

"Ma'am?"

"Yes, Lieutenant."

"It's no use. The city network has been taken off the grid. I cannot get in, and nothing comes out. I may be able to get more, once we're inside, but I doubt it. Whoever is doing this has fiendishly good cyber warfare equipment."

"What about the garrison?"

"Their network is still up. Most of the hubs are working, but no comm-traffic. I found some old messages in the buffer, but not much use. Units reporting that they're under fire. Most of them get cut off very quickly. There is jamming everywhere."

"I see." Shepard activated the squad communications. "Heads up! It looks like we're on our own. Either the garrison is gone, or they're being jammed. Either way, they're no use to us. Stay close to each other. I want direct, line-of-sight communications for everyone. And activate your motion trackers. If anything moves, I want to know first. Jenkins!?"

"Ma'am?"

"What's with the local wildlife? Do we need to shoot it?" She gestured at a small cluster of creatures that seemed to be floating in the air.

"The gasbags?" Jenkins shook his head. "No, ma'am. They're harmless. They just float around unless you spook 'em. In fact, shooting them would be bad. They're like hydrogen balloons, ma'am."

"They burn?" Shepard smirked. "Could be useful if we can get the enemy to walk up to them. Something to keep in mind. Everyone, lock the location of the dig site into your nav systems. That's our primary goal." She cast a glance at Nihlus who was standing silently, a bit off to the side. "Shields up and move out!"

 **-o-o-o-**

SIx humans and one turian moved cautiously along the mountain trail. Far off in the distance, they could hear bursts of gun fire, but it was rather desultory, evidence of the occasional firefight, rather than an ongoing battle.

"Ma'am, movement, two-o'clock, far."

"Squad, cover!"

The marines dove behind rocks and trees, followed within a seocnd by their turian companion. Shepard surveyed the terrain ahead. They were approaching a small clearing, where the path turned sharply to he right. She swung her rifle in the direction that private Estanza had indicated.

Motion trackers had a long history with the marines. The original models, used by colonial marines had been awkward and cumbersome, hampering the user and making it nearly impossible to use them, while still using a rifle. Over time they had been steadily improved until, by the time of first contact war, they were not much bigger than a flashlight. The latest model, which had just come into service was even smaller and could be clipped to the barrel of a rifle in the same fashion that generations past had used flashlights and laser scopes, showing their read-out on a small screen next to the rifle sight. An even more advance model, which would feed the data directly into a helmet display, was available, but none of her marines carried that version yet.

 _There!_ Motion trackers were always imprecise, especially when it came to distance, but the situation was clear enough. Two entities, moving along the path beyond the clearing.

"Movement confirmed. Everyone, heads up. Spread out and prepare to engage."

The marines pressed forward slowly, moving up to the edge of the clearing. Shepard scanned the surrounding area, marking the positions of her squad, the turian Spectre, and the point where she expected the unknown contacts to appear. Her eyes narrowed. One of the marines was out of position, too far-

"Jenkins, fall back!"

At that very moment, she spotted movement in the distance. Something small, flying between the trees.

"I've got them spotted! Moving up!"

"Jenkins, wait! Hold-"

It was a waste of breath. Shepard might as well have been speaking Prothean for all the attention Jenkins paid her. His adrenalin was up and nothing in the world was going to stop him. Well, nothing, except for a burst of automatic fire from a drone that popped up from behind a rock. It wasn't enough to kill him, but several bullets ripped through his shields and into his armour, causing him to stumble. Jenkins turned, raising his rifle, but he never got a shot off. A second drone had appeared behind the first and this time the impact of the mass accelerator rounds proved too much for his body armour. At least three rounds went through and into his chest and Jenkins collapsed.

"Drones! Everyone, stay in cover. Alenko, electronics. Nihlus..." She turned around but there was clearly no need to worry. The Spectre was kneeling behind a large boulder, his shotgun ready and the faint glow of a kinetic barrier around him. Shepard leaned forward a little, just enough to look around her cover. As it turned out, that was not a good idea. The drones were flying high enough to have a clear few of the battlefield and they picked up her movements instantly. She barely had time to duck back into cover before a stream of bullets smashed into the rocks where her head had been. Return fire erupted from between the rocks as some of the Marines took advantage of the opportunity to get a few shots off, but they all went wide.

"Fuck." This was not a good situation. The drones were out in the open, easy targets in theory, but they were also small and constantly manoeuvering. A snapshot was unlikely to hit them and standing still long enough to aim would be suicide. They needed to immobilize them before they finished them off.

 **-o-o-o-**

Kaidan Alenko hunkered down behind a rock and flipped open the pocket computer that was attached to his left arm. Humanity had never embraced the omnitools that were ubiquitous among the Citadel species, but part of the idea had stuck and they'd come up with a version of their own. Two small eye-pieces popped out of his helmet. They were the latest in technology, capable of providing the user with a VR image based on sensor input that overlapped his normal vision without the need for his eyes to refocus. It was disorienting for the untrained, but specialists could use it to great effect. In less than a second, the image stabilized effectively giving Alenko a sixth sense, as though he was sensitive to electromagnetic fields. It made for an interesting picture. Nihlus Kryik was lit up like a Christmas tree, covered in all kinds of electronic devices each with its own power source. Shepard's signal was more muted, like that of the other marines, but, even through her shield, Alenko picked up a faint glow from her rifle sight and her communicator appeared as the centre of a spider web, a connecting point for lines reaching out to himself, Nihlus, their squadmates and the hubs of the local military network. And beyond that-

 _There!_ The marine lieutenant smiled. Two objects. Power sources, active scanners, comm-links. His fingers moved in the air, activating pressure sensors inside his gloves. His computer employed an active emitter, while passive sensors analyzed the data structure that came from the unknown objects' systems.

"Commander?"

"Yes."

"I have them. I can scramble their navigation systems. Counting down from three. Three, two, one. NOW!"

He sent the command.

Both drones froze in mid-air, suddenly unaware of their own location. Their navigation systems instantly rebooted, but for a second they remained motionless. At that same moment, Shepard, Nihlus and the surviving marines came out from behind cover and opened fire. The drones were well armed, but they lacked armour or shielding. A few hits were all it took for both of them to come apart in mid-air.

"No further energy sources. All clear."

 **-o-o-o-**

The squad emerged cautiously from cover. Alenko knelt down next to Jenkins and checked the medical read-out on his armour.

"That last burtst went straight through. He's gone."

Shepard cursed under her breath. "Well, I think we can safely assume that whoever is out there knows we're here now. No need for playing coy anymore. Alenko, I want two recon drones ahead of us at all times."

The lieutenant nodded stiffly. He entered a command into his computer and two small spheres floated out of a container that had been clipped to his backpack. They hovered in mid-air for a moment, then they took off, scanning their surroundings as they moved. Shepard watched them go, then looked at Jenkins' body, her eyes bleak. "Bloody fool. Eager for his first mission. Well, I sure as hell hope he enjoyed it. It's not like he's going to get a second one."

Nihlus Kryik had stood by as the humans dealt with their fallen comrade. Now he approached, somewhat cautiously.

"Commander Shepard."

"Yes."

"I'm not sure I understand what happened. You gave him a clear order. Why would he disobey?"

"He didn't. He never heard the order; or rather, he heard it, but it didn't register." Shepard shrugged, the movement barely perceptible through her armour. "I've seen it before. First time in combat, some rookies freeze, some run, some rush forward. You can train people until hell freezes over, life-fire exercises, VR scenarios, all of that shit. But the real thing can still mess people up. If he'd lived through this first engagement, he'd probably have been okay in a few minutes. But he didn't." She turned to Alenko. "Give me his tags and mark the location of his body for pickup. Let's go people. We still have a job to do."

* * *

 **A/N**

 _In this universe, Shepard is obviously not a Spectre candidate, so I needed a new narrative for hers and Nihlus' roles. For one thing, there is no way she would let Nihlus run around on his own in this political climate. Then again, the original story didn't make all that much sense either. Nihlus is supposed to evaluate Shepard, but how? If Saren hadn't shown up, the Eden Prime mission would have been trivial. Nihlus would have watched, while Shepard put the beacon in a crate, carried it aboard Normandy, and delivered it to the Citadel. More a job for FedEx than a potential Spectre. I suppose Nihlus was supposed to stick around for several missions. However, here's the thing: When the shit hits the fan, giving him a real opportunity to evaluate Shepard, Nihlus goes off on his own, ruining any chance he had of seeing Shepard in action. So much for the whole evaluation thing!_


	4. Survivors

**I don't own Mass Effect or the AvP franchise**

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 **Eden Prime**

 _Run, run, run, as fast as you can; you won't catch me, I'm the Gingerbread man!_ Why did that stupid old children's rhyme keep playing in her mind? It wasn't even appropriate. No matter how fast she went, they were definitely capable of catching up with her. Or with anyone else for that matter. _Fucking Williams' curse strikes again. Trapped on a planet when the alien invasion comes in. Doesn't matter if they're dinosaur birds, or robots with flashlights for heads, or anything else. If your name is Williams, you're screwed._  
There were at least two enemies behind her, with more on the way, and some sort of drone keeping track of her. _Where's an M56 smartgun when you need it? Stupid question. Pennyloafer has it. Or, more accurately, it's still attached to her corpse, lying in the dirt, along with the rest of Dogsquad._ She shook her head as she ran, zigzagging to avoid the fire from her pursuers. _No time to mourn. Not if you want to live long enough to actually mourn them. What would I do with a smartgun anyway? Cannot shoot while running away. Hey, maybe I can turn in mid-stride and slide over the ground on my back while shooting at them like this is some cheap action vid! Yeah, right. I'd be dead before I'd moved a meter. Rocks up ahead, trees beyond it. Cover. If I can get behind those rocks, at least I can take a few with me before I die fighting. They'll find my corps with bullet holes in the chest instead of the back. No more talk of Williams' cowardice._

Ashley Williams, Gunnery-Chief, last survivor of Dogsquad, and, if it were up to the enemy, soon-to-be-dead-woman dove behind a rock. Not a moment too soon. A last salvo perforated the air just behind her. _Cover! Cover is good. Cover is great. Now if I can just deal with the ones behind me, I can break contact and maybe-_

A soft humming noise interrupted her thoughts. _The drone. That piece of crap has to go too or I'll never get clear!_ She checked her ammo status. It didn't look good. Her old Lacrimae assault rifle -the 212 hadn't received the new weapons yet- could carry one-hundred rounds in its drum magazine. Unfortunately, each marine only carried one of those. Once it was gone, the only reloads were standard thirty-round boxes and she was down to her last two magazines, one, only half-full, in the weapon and one full mag in reserve. She still had her sidearm with a full magazine. But pistol rounds weren't going to be very useful in taking down shields. The grenade situation was even worse. She only had three of those left in her rifle and no further reloads. The good news was that she probably wouldn't need them. Despite being made of metal, those robots weren't particularly tough once their shields were down.

Ashley risked a quick glance around the rock. Sure enough, the drone was hovering overhead, moving around a little, but by-and-large just keeping station. Behind it, two robots were approaching on foot, or whatever they had instead of feet. She took a deep breath. _Three targets, all of them armed. No room for errors. This is gonna be close!_

She fired a burst into one of the robots and saw its shields flicker and die. _Now if I can get in a few more-_

Return fire flashed from both robots and the drone and Ashley ducked back into cover. _Not good._ She needed to get the next hit in before its shields came back up. Against one target it would be easy enough. Her armour would take its return fire long enough for her to finish it off. But three of them was just too much and she didn't have a kinetic barrier of her own. _Fucking penny-pinching bureaucrats; fucking politicians. Always babbling about wanting a strong defence, but they cannot be bothered to get us some decent protection. If they'd ever been under fire themse-_

A sharp crack and the flashlight head on her target seemed to explode. She knew that sound: The high calibre rifle variant of the new Dracos. Marines! Had to be. Maybe she wasn't going to die after all.

A blue shimmer rippled through the air, and the second robot stumbled back as though it had been slapped by some invisible hand.

 _WTF? Biotics? Where the hell did that come from?_

More gunfire erupted from the treeline behind her, tearing the drone above her apart. _No time to play twenty questions. There is still one of them out there._ She rolled out of cover, firing at the last surviving target, which has only just begun to recover from the biotic attack. This time, there was no return fire as it had switched its attention to whoever was firing from the trees. Her second burst went through the shields and into its leg, sending it sprawling to the ground. One more salvo and it was gone.

Figures emerged from behind the trees, cautiously moving forward. Human figures.

 _Lightweight hardsuits, all of them shielded. Definitely not garrison troops. Only marines on ship assignment get those kinds of toys. Where did they come from? Wait, is that an N7 badge?_ Marines that had successfully completed the N7 training were always assigned to Special Forces, and as far as she knew there wasn't a single Spec-Ops unit anywhere near Eden Prime.

The woman with he N7 batch glanced at her. "Report."

 _Okay, that tone is familiar. Impatient officer variant #3. Could be worse. #2 would be blaming me for not reporting already. And #1 would figure they already know everything and just not bother to listen at all._

She jumped to attention. "Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams, ma'am. 2nd Frontier division, Unit 212, Dogsquad."

"Commander Shepard. I'm in command here."

 _Wait, Shepard? THE Shepard?_ There was no time to ponder that question.

"Where is your unit, Chief?"

"They- They're gone, ma'am. All of them."

"I see. Keep talking."

"Ma'am. We'd been assigned as outer perimeter guard for the prothean dig site. Everything seemed normal until the comms went down. At first, we thought it was some kind of problem with the satellite. It's happened before. We were still trying to regain contact with headquarters when we saw a ship landing at the spaceport."

"A ship?" That got the officer's attention. "What kind?"

"I don't know ma'am. I've never seen anything like it before. It looked like, like a giant flying horseshoe, if you know what I mean."

"A horseshoe?"

"Yes, ma'am. And it was big. Must have been cruiser sized. Bigger than anything I've ever seen land on a planet. Next thing we knew, there were these robots everywhere. We finally managed to get a message through, but nobody answered."

"We heard your message," another marine remarked. He had lieutenant stripes on his hardsuit, as well as batches marking him as both a biotic and a combat technician. He moved past her and knelt next to one of the destroyed robots. "What are these things? I've seen combat mechs before, but nothing like this."

Ashley looked from one officer to another.

"Well, chief," the commander asked. "Any thoughts?"

"Ma'am, I think these are geth."

"Geth?"

"Definitely geth." A new voice spoke up. A very strange voice, coming from something that definitely didn't belong here. Ashley lifted her rifle as a turian in black and red armour walked out from between the trees.

The commander lifted a hand. "Easy, chief. He's with us. Sort-of. Chief Williams, meet Nihlus Kryik, Council Spectre. He's here for the prothean beacon."

"This is worrisome, Commander," The turian continued. "Very worrisome. There have been no confirmed geth sightings outside the Perseus Veil since they drove out the quarians, three hundred years ago. Their appearance here has to be related to the beacon. But how would they even know about it?"

Commander Shepard shrugged. "You knew about it, Kryik. I knew about. Half of Eden Prime must have known about it; as did USM HQ and the General Assembly, and the Citadel Council, and everyone they must have told. This wasn't a secret by any standards."

"Among organics, no. But the Geth don't operate in Citadel Space. They are not in contact with the rest of the galaxy."

"So they're spying on us? Big surprise there."

"You don't understand, Commander." The turian actually seemed to become agitated. "The geth are AIs. If they're spying on us, they may have infiltrated our systems. That would mean rogue AIs inside computer systems all over the galaxy!"

Shepard shrugged again. "Or they've just been sitting in some uninhabited system in-between mass relays, listening to our transmissions. There is a lot of empty space out there, with plenty of places to hide. Didn't we have a conversation about that earlier today? Besides, if your cybersecurity is so bad that a complete AI can make it through the firewall without even being detected, you might as well give up. So, let's not borrow trouble here. It's an academic question anyway. For now, let's focus on securing the beacon. Alenko, are those drones of yours still up?"

The lieutenant nodded. "They're up and scanning, Commander."

"Good, keep them moving. You can bet there are more of those things up ahead. I don't want any more surprises. Williams, we had a local guide on our team, but he didn't make it. Seems like you're the replacement. What is the status at the dig site? There was supposed to be at least one squad on guard at the beacon itself."

"Yes, ma'am. Bravo squad had that job today. I heard gunfire, but things have been silent for a while now."

"I see. No time to lose then. Get us to that beacon."

Ashley snapped off a salute. "Yes, ma'am. Right away, ma'am." She watched as the marines spread out between the rocks, covering the flanks. The turian was with them. Her fingers tightened on her weapon. A bird. A Council Spectre, no less. It was wrong; she knew it was wrong to even think about it. But she couldn't help but wonder how tough it would be to have a little friendly fire accident.

Commander Shepard's voice interrupted her musings. "One more thing, Williams. Don't ever salute me in the field again. It makes you the perfect target when you stand up like that. More importantly, it marks me as someone worth killing."

 _Damn. Rookie mistake. Great way to make a first impression, Ashley. Why don't you start quoting regulations while you're at it?_

There was no time for further self-recrimination as the squad moved out.

 **-o-o-o-**

"I wish I could say this was a surprise," Shepard remarked. The dig site was a shambles. Crates had been broken open and equipment tossed aside. Not that she had expected anything else under the circumstances. There also seemed to be several things missing. First of all, the marines that were supposed to be guarding the dig site were nowhere to be seen, nor were there any bodies lying around. This was especially strange because several of their rifles had not been moved, but had simply been left on the ground where they had fallen. Whoever had moved the bodies had picked them up with everything attached, but not bothered collecting individual weapons. The other thing that was missing was the beacon.

"They carried it off," Nihlus said, flexing his talons in the gesture that they were all beginning to recognize as a sign of intense frustration. He'd been making it a lot, recently.

Shepard shrugged. "Well, someone did. No way to tell if it was geth or humans. For all we know, dig site security moved it to the spaceport in anticipation of our arrival. If it was the geth, well, they would take it to the same spot. Nowhere else to go, really. And since that ship of theirs hasn't taken off yet, the beacon is still on the planet.

She turned to their new teammate, who was busy collecting what little ammunition remained in the abandoned weapons. "Williams? There should be some housing around here for the scientist types."

"Yes, ma'am. It's right on top of the hill." She hesitated. "Do you think any of them have been left alive, ma'am?"

Shepard laughed without much humour. "Do I have a flashlight for a head, Chief? Then don't ask me what killer robots do or don't do. There may be survivors and even if they're not, there will be security cameras. I'd like to know what kind of opposition we're dealing with before we start running after the enemy.

 **-o-o-o-**

The housing facilities for the archaeologists were unimpressive. Just a couple of pre-fab buildings that had been dumped on top of a hill.

"Nothing over here, ma'am!" One of the marines called from the first building, which looked like it had been trashed by a hurricane. "No bodies, no working electronics."

"Okay, move on to the next one."

The next building looked better, although there were bullet holes in the wall and the camera on the door had been smashed. The door was locked.

Shepard hit the door with her rifle butt. "Hey, Anyone in there?"

There was no sound.

"Looks like we have to do this the hard way. Alenko, can you break the code lock, or do we have to smash it open?"

Lieutenant Alenko grinned. "Not a problem."

He was right. The lock proved to be only a minor obstacle.

"Stay back!" The voice from inside. "We're armed!"

"What a coincidence," Shepard answered, dryly. "So are we."

"Wait. You're human? Thank the gods!"

"Technically, we're marines. Not everybody agrees that that counts. And then there's-"

"Just shut the door! They'll come back!" That was another voice. Shepard stepped into the room. There were two people, civilians. A woman was walking around in circles, wringing her hands. Nearby a man was sitting on one of the beds, his head buried in his hands. As Shepard had more or less expected, neither of them actually had a weapon.

"Dr Warren, I'm glad to see you're alive." Chief Williams moved into the shed and looked at Shepard. "Dr Warren is the lead scientist for the dig site."

"Well, that's the first good news we've had so far," Shepard said. "Dr Warren, I'm Commander Shepard, USM marines. I was supposed to pick up a prothean beacon, but it seems to have gone missing."

The woman nodded. "It was transferred to the Maglev station this morning, once we knew you'd arrive. Dr Manuel and I stayed behind to help dismantle the camp. Then the attack came. We ran into this building while the marines held them off. They... they gave their lives to save us."

"Noone is saved," Dr Manuel interjected. Humanities time is coming to an end. Soon, only ruin and ashes will remain." His voice was rising as he spoke, but Shepard ignored him.

"What can you tell me about the attack? Do you have any idea what kind of numbers we're dealing with?"

Dr Warren shook her head. "It all happened so fast. One moment we were collecting equipment and packing things up, the next we were running for our lives. Those robots; geth, I think. They just swarmed over the campsite. We the could hear the gunfire outside, the screams. I thought it would never stop. Then there was just silence."

"You think they were here for the beacon?" Shepard asked. It seemed obvious, but it never hurt to check.

"They must have been. We found a lot of artefacts here, Commander, but nothing like that. The technology alone is beyond price add to that the fact that the data core seems to be intact and, well, you really have something worth an invasion.

"We unearthed the toys of the dark." Dr Manuel was talking again. " The turian knew. He knew; he understood."

"Turian," This was becoming confusing, Shepard thought. "Were there any turian scientists on your team, Dr Warren?"

"No. Manuel is just talking. He claimed he saw a turian among the geth, leading them."

Shepard looked over her shoulder at Nihlus Kryik, who had followed and Williams into the building. "Kryik, any thoughts?"

"A turian collaborating with geth?" Nihlus' voice sounded incredulous, even through the translation implants. "That's impossible. Geth don't cooperate with organics. Besides, no turian would-"

"I saw him, " Dr Manuel rambled on. "Death's pale-faced prophet, with an iron jaw and claws of steel! A herald of our destruction."

"Manuel, please. This is not the moment." Dr Warren looked at Shepard with a helpless expression. "I really must apologize for Dr Manuel. He has a brilliant mind. Unfortunately, he has a tendency to become unstable when under stress and there has been a lot of that lately. I gave him his meds about an hour ago, but-"

Dr Manuel stood up from the bunk. "Is it madness to speak the truth, then? Is it madness to recognize the signs? Our doom is coming. I'm not mad; I'm the only sane one left. We're all-"

"Say good night."

Shepard's fist smashed into his jaw and he collapsed without another sound.

Dr Warren looked horrified. "What did you do? You cannot just go around punching people!"

"All evidence to the contrary." Shepard smiled briefly. "Hysterics are dangerous in a crisis, Doctor, and I don't have time to deal with babbling idiots. I suggest you give him more of that medication. By the time he wakes up, he might even start making sense again. I will leave one of my marines with you for protection. Unfortunately, that's all I can do right now. Lock the door again and sit tight once we're gone. USM headquarters are aware of the situation here, so the first reinforcements should arrive within a few hours. Until then your best chance is to lay low."

WIthout paying further attention to either scientist Shepard turned around. "Alright, Estanza, you stay here. Try not to draw anyone's attention until the cavalry shows up and make sure crazy boy doesn't do anything stupid. The rest of you, move out. Let's go find ourselves a beacon. Kryik, if there really is another turian walking around, I suggest you deal with him. We don't need a diplomatic incident on top of-" She looked around, expecting to see the turian Spectre.

"Kryik?"

Shepard looked around, again. No turian to be seen. No, black and red armour, nothing.

"What the fuck?" She tapped her comm. "Shepard to Kryik, come in." There was no answer. "Kryik, I don't know what the fuck you're playing at, but I'm not laughing. Either you talk to me, or I'm coming after you and you really don't want to make me do that."

There was only silence.

"Shit! Alenko, do a scan of the area. I want him found, and I want him found now."

Kaidan already had his computer up. "He's gone, ma'am. Nothing on scanners, nothing on comms, not even a carrier wave. He's gone completely dark."

"What about the drones, can they pick him up?"

Alenko shook his head. "Nothing. I've got one of them flying high, scanning for emissions. But-"

"That's impossible," Shepard snarled. "The guy's like a fucking lighthouse. Power sources flashing everywhere."

"Not anymore, ma'am. Either he's got a way of shielding them, or he's shut them all down. I'll have to go optical and scan for moving targets. And, well, there are quite a few of those."

"Okay." Shepard smiled grimly. "So, looks like he's got some brains after all. Guess Spectres aren't as overrated as I thought. Forget about scanning with the drones. He'd be too far ahead by the time you found him. Don't really need to anyway. There's only one place for him to go."

"The beacon?" Williams asked.

"Has to be. It's the only thing around that's worth this. For him, for us, for everyone. He'll need to go to the Maglev station. Alenko, get one of your drones over the station asap. Williams, what's the shortest path to get there on foot?"

"Right this way, ma'am."

"Good. Let's move people. Switch on your helmet cameras, and make sure to link them to the local military net."

That was not the kind of command to make any marine happy. The helmet cameras had become infamous during the time of the big corporations. Conceived to allow platoon leaders to keep track of the battle, they had turned out to be the wet dream of every micromanaging fool, causing endless delays and stagnation as officers tried to direct the actions of individual marines. On top of that, they encouraged junior officers to lead their units from the safety of the equally infamous M557 armoured personnel carriers, rather than from the front, causing an ever-increasing gap between them and their troops. The United Systems Military had kept the cameras, but issued strict orders that they should never be used them as an active command tool, rather than the observation device they were supposed to be. Unfortunately, that standing order left a lot of room for interpretation and the practice of directing marines by remote control had never fully disappeared.

"Ma'am?" One of the marines was staring at her.

"I want full documentation, with backups. I'm going to hunt down a Spectre and there is not going to be any doubt as to how it went down."

"Wait, ma'am. Do you mean, you will actually-"

"Shoot him on sight? Probably not. But if he as much as twitches in the wrong direction, I'm taking him down permanently. I don't know what birdface thinks he's doing, but I do know one thing: He'd better have a really good explanation, or I swear to God they'll be calling me the Butcher of Eden Prime by the time I'm done with him."

 **!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-**

 **A/N**

 _In ME1, Shepard never seems to have evidence for anything (s)he says, which makes no sense, considering that everyone carries an omnitool. Hell, a smartphone would have solved all those evidence problems. Since Aliens introduced us to helmet cameras, the solution seemed pretty obvious.  
_


	5. Old friends

**I don't own Mass Effect or the AvP franchise**

 ** **!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-****

 **Eden Prime**

 _"Nihlus, I don't know what the fuck you're playing at, but I'm not laughing. Either you talk to me, or I'm coming after you and you really don't want to make me do that."_ That was not good. Human colloquialisms sounded strange when translated into turian language and their voice inflexions were tough to judge, but Shepard did not sound as though she was making a joke and, with her marines to back her up, Nihlus was far from certain that he could either evade her or fight her off. The new one, Williams, would probably welcome the opportunity to shoot a turian if her body language was anything to judge by. Besides, he was supposed to avoid provoking the humans at all costs. There was a part of him, a very strong part, that wanted to reopen communications, tell Shepard what he was doing and why. But if his suspicions were right he couldn't, not yet; Not until he figured out what was going on. There was too much at stake. He heard the other human voice again. _"Death's pale-faced prophet, with an iron jaw and claws of steel!"_ It could be nonsense, the ravings of a lunatic; it had to be nonsense. But if it wasn't... _An iron jaw and claws of steel._ There was only one turian he knew with those kind prosthetics. Everyone used lifelike limb-replacements. Everyone except... But _he_ couldn't be here. Not here, of all places, and certainly not now! Not in the middle of an invasion.

Nihlus kept moving. It was fortunate that he had obtained maps of Eden Prime, and its capital city, when the Council picked him for this assignment or he'd have been hopelessly lost. He turned a corner of the narrow trail and nearly blundered into the back of a massive warehouse. That was good. Humans were not always logical, but they wouldn't build a warehouse like this in the middle of nowhere. That meant that his map had been accurate and the mag-lev station was near.

Everything seemed to be quiet. Whatever fighting had taken place here had stopped. As he moved along the warehouse wall, Nihlus found a small door, probably an emergency exit for personnel in case of fire or some other hazard. After a moment's hesitation, he pushed the door open and ducked inside. Better to get some cover between himself and the open sky. There were too many drones flying around. Even now, he didn't dare to reactivate his equipment. Shutting down his sensors left him a lot more vulnerable than he liked, but it had been necessary. Even if he limited himself to passive sensors, the power sources they used were simply too different from human equipment not to stand out on this planet, and he was quite sure that Lieutenant Alenko had been scanning for them with his drones from the moment they'd discovered his disappearance and there was no way to tell how much they could pick up, even through the roof of a building.

The warehouse was mostly empty, with only a few crates stacked up along one of the walls. Nihlus moved over and looked at them briefly. Only one was the right size for a prothean beacon. The geth had clearly moved through this area already, so he didn't expect to find it here, but it was still worth checking out.

 _Mag-lev replacement parts. Well, it was never more than a faint hope anyway._ Nihlus drew his talon back from the crate. Something was sticking. As he looked closer, he saw a slimy, raisin-like substance that had been stuck to the crate. He rubbed it off. _Just ignore it. This is not the time to worry about what kind of stuff humans put on their packaging crates._

Even as he thought it, he heard the sounds of gunfire in the distance. Considering the direction and the type of weapons involved, it seemed that Shepard and her team had run into some opposition.

 _Who knows, maybe she'll be out of ammo by the time she catches up with me. That would certainly be nice._

 **-o-o-o-**

There was no warning. No sound, no movement. One moment, the team was advancing along the trail; the next, they were fighting for their lives.

Williams was in the lead, with Shepard and one of the marines following, while Lieutenant Alenko and the last marine brought up the rear. They were going uphill again and the trail was winding and narrow, slowing their progress.

"Williams, how far?"

"Just a few more minutes, ma'am. Once we reach the top, we can look down on the station."

"Good." Shepard turned around. "Alenko, anything on the drones?"

The lieutenant checked his display. "No, ma'am. Some movement, but no-"

A black shape dropped down from the rocks above. It landed on top of the marine next to Shepard, claws extended, slamming him against the ground. From out of it its mouth a tongue shot out with terrible force, punching through the thin armour covering the back of the neck.

For one second, the other humans stood as frozen, stunned by the suddenness of the attack as well as the nightmarish appearance of their new foe, then training set in and they scattered, opening the distance.

Shepard's finger tightened on the trigger, but she hesitated. Williams was in her line of fire, almost directly behind the target, forced to stay there by the narrowness of the trail. Before she could move to get a better angle, the creature's tail swept around and hit her at knee-level, sweeping her legs from under her and sending her tumbling, her rifle flying from her hands.

Shepard hit the ground and kept rolling. A claw cut into the ground where her head had been only a moment ago as the thing tried to jump on top of her and missed, buying her a few precious seconds. _A Weapon!_ Her rifle had fallen out of reach, so she yanked her sidearm out of the holster, switching it to burst mode as she lined up the shot. Firing it like that one-handed was suboptimal at best, but the range was short and at least one bullet grazed its smooth, dome-like skull. It hesitated, buying her time for a second burst as she scrambled backwards, desperate to stay out of reach. Another hit. Not enough to kill, but that no longer mattered. The marines had recovered from the initial surprise and two rifle shots slammed into the monster, putting it down for good.

Shepard got to her feet. From the corner of her eye, she saw more of the dark shapes closing in from the trail ahead. Williams was firing already, trying to stand her ground. There was something... Shepard tried to remember the old briefings. Something about- her eyes fell on the corpse, yellowish blood was bubbling from the wounds, steam rising- _The blood!_

"Watch it! These bastards bleed acid! Stay at a distance!"

It was uncertain if the marines had heard her, but, clearly, everyone agreed that staying as far away from these things as possible was a good idea. They fell back, firing as they retreated. Full automatic rifle fire lashed out at the approaching creatures before they could close the distance. Two of them went down under a hail of bullets, a third was slapped aside by Kalenko's biotics, then torn up by more gunfire. Then, as sudden as it had started, the battle was over. Shepard looked around.

"Fuck it, how many were there? Did anyone get an accurate count."

"I counted seven, ma'am," Chief Williams spoke up. "Two of them got away. Ma'am, what the... Are these...? What are these things doing here?"

Shepard picked up her rifle, carefully avoiding the pools of yellowish blood that were soaking into the ground.

"Yes, it's them, alright. Guess they aren't as extinct as we thought they were. I was afraid of this. That ship you saw, Williams, that looked like a horseshoe, correct?"

"Yes, ma'am. But what-"

"Classified information, Williams. Gold level, so N7s get read in on it. I don't have time for history lessons, right now. Let's just say that that particular design has been spotted before and it's not linked to the geth, but to these things."

"You mean, like back in-"

"Yes. Back then. I'm sure you've heard some of the rumours. The thing is, we never actually found out where these things came from. Just where they ended up. That kind of ship is where it supposedly all started. But that ship was derelict and it supposedly got blown up. Now we've got one in flying condition; so either the original owners of those things are still around, or, more likely, the geth found a working example, complete with fucking xenomorphs and decided to put it to good use. It just makes our day complete, doesn't it? A xenomorph infestation on Eden Prime. And we're caught on the ground, with the wrong equipment for the jobs. No flamethrowers to be found anywhere, no way to deal with the acid, nothing."  
Shepard looked around. Everything seemed still and quiet. The gunfire from the city had died down as well. Only the columns of smoke, rising above the hills, were left as evidence of the battle that had taken place. "Not much we can do about it right now. Still, at least I can get a warning out." She entered a short code string into her communicator. "Upload to the tactical net. From Shepard, Commanding officer on-scene, to all United Systems Military Units. We have a xenomorph alert on Eden Prime. I repeat, xenomorph alert on Eden Prime. The planet must be placed under quarantine immediately." She shrugged. "I don't know if or when anybody will hear that, but at least the warning is out." She switched the comm channel. "Estanza, come in."

There was a second's pause, then, "I'm listening, ma'am. Commander, I just received your update. Ma'am, what is going on here?"

"I don't know. But I intend to find out. In the meantime, try to remember the old briefings. Stay put, keep the doors and windows closed and barred, and whatever you do, don't let them get them get in arms' reach. One of them just took out Rahn in a single blow, straight through the armour."

"Fuck."

"Yeah, I know. Just hold on. The fleet is on its way. Shepard out." She closed her comm and looked at the dead marine. "I hate leaving Estanza there with those things around. He's awfully exposed. Hell, I hate leaving Rahn's body here; but there is nothing we can do about it. Now, let's keep going. We've got a Spectre to deal with and a beacon to secure."

 **-o-o-o-**

The station was deserted. No humans, no geth. Not even corpses. Nihlus moved from over to cover, his eyes searching for any sign of movement. Part of him was relieved that there was nothing, part of him was cursing himself for his instinctive reaction in running off like this. Even if Shepard gave him a chance to explain, what could he tell her?  
 _So sorry, Commander, but I thought a colleague of mine was here. Another Spectre, you know, running around Eden Prime in the middle of an attack, without permission from your government. Oh, and he's practically famous for hating humans. And I just wanted to make sure that you wouldn't find out. But it seems I was mistaken. No hard feelings, I hope._ Yes, that would certainly put her in a better mood. Even as he thought it, he heard footsteps. Someone was walking, quite casually, through the rubble. Nihlus ducked behind a crate and waited. The other person passed by, giving him the opportunity to take a quick look. It was definitely a turian. His head-plates were light and his arm, his left arm was a metal prosthetic. _Spirits! It's him._

"Saren!"

The other turian turned around, showing his face, which was unpainted, contrary to turian custom. Part of his jaws, like his arm had been replaced with a metal construction.

"Nihlus."

"What is going on, Saren. You're not supposed to be here. This is my mission."

"I know, but the council figured you might need some help with this one. We couldn't run any risk with the beacon"

"And they sent you?" That made no sense. Even if the Council wanted another Spectre on Eden Prime, which was strange enough considering the fact that Spectres were forbidden from entering human space without special permission from the United Systems government, Saren Arterius was the absolute worst choice for such an assignment. His feelings on the subject of humans were well known.

"I was passing through from the Traverse anyway," Saren answered smoothly. "Just one relay jump away."

That could explain it. Still, it was strange that the humans had allowed Saren to land on Eden Prime so easily and unthinkable that the Council would send him in without waiting for permission. Even a functioning prothean beacon would be poor justification for the diplomatic nightmare that this could unleash. Then again, the situation was desperate. If the Council had heard something about a potential attack they might have decided to risk it and try to smooth things over with the humans afterwards. He looked around. What had seemed bad from a distance was even worse up close. The Maglev station was a shambles of half-destroyed buildings and ripped-open containers. Smoke from burning buildings blew in clouds over the station.

"Spirits, Saren. This cannot be happening. Geth here, beyond the Veil. There must be hundreds of victims al ready. At least. And two Spectres, two _turian_ Spectres in the middle of it all. Even if the human government doesn't throw the blame on us, you can bet that their press will. We need to-"

"Don't worry, old friend." Saren's voice was still as calm as though they were strolling around the Presidium lake. "Everything is under control."

The projectiles of mass effect weapons were highly supersonic. Nihlus never even heard the shot. He was dead before he hit the ground. In fact, he was dead before he even realized that he had been shot.

 **-o-o-o-**

As they reached the crest of the hill, Shepard halted her team.

"Alright, people. Showtime. Lieutenant, get that drone of yours to do one more sweep of the area. Then we get our asses down there. Everyone, stay sharp and pay attention. Between xenomorphs, robots, and turians, we've got plenty of potential trouble. Make sure we find it before it finds us."

"Commander, I've got a turian on the drone-cam above the Mag-lev station, and it isn't Nihlus."

"What is he up to?"

"He's getting on the train. And, ma'am, there are geth with him."

"Any sign of Nihlus around there?"

Alenko manipulated the controls. In the sky above the station, the drone turned around, it's camera scanning the area.

"Commander, I think I've got him." He looked up from his display. "Ma'am, it looks like he's down."

Shepard peered over his shoulder at the small screen.

"Damn."

"Did the bloody xenomorphs get him?"

"No," Alenko worked the controls again, zooming in. "That's a gunshot wound."

 **-o-o-o-**

"Well now, this is something of a disappointment," Shepard nudged the dead turian with the toe of her boot. "I really thought I was going to become the first human ever to kill a council Spectre."

"I don't think this was done by a human," Alenko looked at the wound. "This looks like a hypersonic impact."

"Mass accelerator, then"

"Yes, ma'am. Of course, there has been an influx of eezo weapons ever since first contact, but they're very expensive. It wouldn't be the first choice for a human."

"I see," Shepard looked around. "One of those robots, then. Doesn't make much sense either. One shot to the back of the head. That's execution style. Why would he stand still for it? Kryik was supposed to be good, and those walking toasters aren't exactly subtle. How did they manage to sneak up on him?"

"Commander! Movement! Behind the crates!"

Shepard's head whipped around as Williams called out.

"Spread out! Shoot through those crates if you can and-

"Wait!" the voice came from behind the crates and sounded distinctly human. "Wait, I'm human. I'm not one of them I'm-"

"If you're human, come on out. Slowly, hands in the air."

For a few seconds, nothing happened, then a pair of hands appeared above the crates.

"Keep going."

A man in coveralls with an Eden Prim transportation badge stood up.

"Marines! Thank god."

"Well, it's always nice to be appreciated," Shepard said. "Still, the party can wait. Explanations cannot. Who are you, and what happened here?"

"I'm just- I was working cargo, for the Maglev company. We were unloading crates when that ship landed."

"We?"

"Me, and the others. Must have been half a dozen of us."

"Where are they now?"

The man looked at the ground. "Dead. All dead. Jameson, Olivera... Those robots got them the moment they landed."

"So how did you survive?" Shepard asked.

"I was behind those crates. They didn't see me."

"Behind those crates. What were you doing there?"

He looked away, avoiding her gaze. "I was... I needed a rest. Just for a few minutes. I must have fallen asleep. By the time I woke up-"

Williams snorted. "A fucking massacre, but this guy's alive because he's lazy. Go figure."

Shepard nodded. "There's a life lesson in there, I'm sure. But never mind the philosophy. What do you know about that dead turian?"

"Him?" He glanced at the body. "He showed up later. Just a few minutes ago. Came out of the warehouse. Then he started snooping around the station. I was thinking about speaking up, but I didn't want to startle him. Not with the shotgun that he was waving around. Then another turian comes along and I decided to stay out of sight a while longer. Anyway, this second turian walks by and the first one, the dead guy, he calls out to him. He knew him. Called him by his name. Saren, or something like that."

Shepard's eyebrows rose. "And, you could understand that, because you're fluent in turian."

"I have a full translation implant. We all do, because of all the alien cargo that comes through here. You need to be able to read the labels. Besides, ever since they opened up that dig site further down the hill, there have been plenty of aliens coming through. Has been really handy. This one time, a couple of those blue chicks, the asari, were over here to look at this beacon thing they found. I tell you, they were seriously hot and-"

"Focus."

"Right. Anyway, those turians start talking. The dead guy, he was asking the other turian what he was doing here."

"Good question."

"Then they were talking about the attack and how it was all messed up. And when this guy turns around, the other one, Saren, just shoots him. Boom, just like that. No warning."

"Fuck." Shepard looked around. "Plenty of cameras in the station, but I guess they've all been down ever since the attack started. And I suppose you didn't make a recording of that conversation."

"A recording? Lady, I wasn't going to stick a camera out there or something."

"Or something." Alenko looked at him intently. "Those translation implants record what they hear and store it. At least for a while. And it's not as though anybody else has been speaking turian since then. If we're lucky, it's still in the buffer. There might even be a permanent recording ready to upload to the cloud for the software company, depending on how it was set up."

Shepard smiled. "Well, I guess that's one argument in favour of violations of privacy. See if you can get a download. If we're going to explain a dead Spectre, we'll need all the documentation we can get and then-" She turned back to the cargo handler. "That warehouse. Is there any place there where you can lock and bar the doors?"

"Yes, eh, there is an office for-"

"Good. Once Lieutenant Alenko is done with your implant, go there, bar the doors, and stay out of sight. Reinforcements are on the way. Once they land, you can come out. But not before."

 **-o-o-o-**

After the man left, Shepard turned around and stood there, staring at the dead turian.

"Now what, ma'am?" Alenko asked.

Shepard looked up.

"We finish the job. That beacon is still out there. That's our priority. As for this turian, this Saren, you can bet he's gone wherever that beacon is."  
She looked at the body again. "I don't know what made Kryik go off like that. Fuck, if he thought that other bird was a friend, why not just come along with us? I'm not fond of turians, but I wouldn't have shot one of them if Kryik vouched for him. And if he thought him an enemy, why turn his back? I guess we'll never know, but he must have had some sort of reason. Still, this ain't a right way to die for anyone." She snorted. "Besides, if anyone was going to shoot him, it would have been me. Now, let's find that kill-stealing son of a bitch and take him down."

* * *

 **A/N**

 _Alas, poor Nihlus, we never got to know him well. Rather a pity, because I liked the character. He provided a good introduction to turians in general (A bit rigid in his attitude, but not unreasonable), and out of all the Spectres that you encounter in ME1-3, he is arguably the only one that really shows the organisation in a positive way. (Saren was messed up even before he got indoctrinated, Vasir is smart, but moonlights as a crime boss's enforcer, and Bau, while not a bad guy, just didn't seem very competent. One could argue that even Shepard makes Spectres look bad, considering the Council's inability to control him/her.)  
_

 _I did consider having Nihlus survive, but then what? It would make no sense for him to disappear from the story, but if I kept him on Normandy, what was I going to do about Garrus? In this universe, humans are not exactly friendly toward aliens. They're not going to allow more turians running around their ships than strictly necessary. Besides, it's good to have a few characters die, even (or especially) likeable ones. We cannot have the killing be completely one-sided.  
_

 _One thing I had to consider is how much of the history between humans and xenomorphs would be general knowledge. I decided to limit that, mainly so that the ME species could not find out everything just by getting on the internet. It also makes sense. Only Ripley survived the Nostromo incident and Weyland-Yutani kept her quiet. Gorman's colonial marine unit was wiped out, as were the colonists of LV-426 and most of the population of Fiorina 161. Even if we consider the computer games canon (which works for my universe) there is little chance for solid information on the xenomorphs to get out because few people survive. Sure, there would be drunken stories, told in bars by a few surviving marines, but very little hard data. The corporations would have a vested interest in keeping things quiet, hence the sealed lab on Shanxi that I described in Someone had blundered). The military would have the information, but they would keep it classified because that's what military organisations do instinctively. (Besides, the Gorman incident didn't reflect well on the military either.)  
At the time of the First Contact War, the whole mess was still fairly recent and there were a few teams -like Anderson's in Someone has heard them scream- fully briefed and equipped to clean up potential Xenomorph infestations. Now it's a generation later and those teams have been stood down to free up resources to deal with more immediate threats.  
What is left is a rather vague story of a sort of superpredator that was found on LV-426, caused a bunch of casualties but was then wiped out. No mention of the crashed ship/spacejockeys. Only people like Shepard, with special qualifications, get read in on the whole story (or as much of it as is actually known. Again, a lot was lost simply because nobody survived.) And even to her, it was just academic knowledge.  
_


	6. Failure

**Mass Effect is the property of Bioware. 20th Century Fox owns the Alien/Predator franchise.**

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 **Eden Prime, Maglev station.**

"Get into cover!"

Obeying her own command, Shepard dove to the ground behind one of the crates that were scattered around the station. The Maglev station, like the rest of Eden Prime's capital city, had been built in the hills and for some reason, the designers had decided not to bother levelling the area. Instead, they had let the railroad run through a valley and built the station on top of the hill next to it. Getting from the station building to the platform required the use of a flight of stairs. Stair, which, unfortunately, were wide open on the platform side, and in full view of a squad of Geth, a squad of Geth that included the biggest robot she'd seen so far. It was painted bright red, featured heavy shields, and could spit out automatic fire at a rate that rifled a human smartgun. All in all, not a good proposition for her small unit.

"Alenko, get to work. I need you to get its shields down."

"Yes, ma'am." The lieutenant had dropped to one knee behind a rock and was busy typing commands into his wrist computer.

"Williams, Jin," Shepard looked over at the last two marines she had with her. "Pop up and shoot, keep them occupied. Don't take any risks. When Alenko drops the shields, I will take that thing down. You'll need to cover me from the rest."

She put her rifle down and reached behind her for the grenade launcher that was slung on her back, flinching as a burst of mass accelerator rounds ripped into the crate. Getting into cover was all well and good, but at this rate, it wouldn't last very long. In any case, they couldn't afford to be pinned down for long. If the xenomorphs showed up again, they'd be in a hopeless position. Unable to evade and without the necessary firepower to fight both them and the geth at the same time. She unslung the grenade launcher and reached for an armour-piercing round.  
When it came to grenade launchers, the Marines seemed to be unable to make up their minds. In the days before the United Systems, the Colonial Marines had made use of the short-barreled launchers on their M41 Pulse rifles. Those had been easy to use, could lay down a lot of firepower, and had the advantage that their 30 mm grenades could also be used as hand grenades. The downside had been the lack of accuracy, which had made them nearly useless at long range, whereas no-one in their right mind would want to use a grenade launcher at short range. Then had come the Lacrimae, which had gone to the other extreme, exchanging the short ranged, smoothbore launcher for a rifled, highly accurate, complicated, and extremely expensive system that allowed for precision fire of 25 mm grenades that could either be fired directly at targets or be set for airburst explosions. Unfortunately, this had reduced the firepower to the point where they started to lose their effectiveness as area-effect weapons, while still being overkill against individual targets. They had also lacked the ability to double as hand grenades. With the Lacrimae being removed from service, the Marines had once again changed policy. The new Draco Double Burner weapon system, which had been designed based on experiences from the First Contact War, lacked a grenade launcher in its standard configuration, leaving the marines with only hand grenades. Several new solutions had been proposed, including a massive, full-automatic grenade launcher that would use the same exoskeleton mount as the M56 smartgun. Some of these had been rejected, others were still undergoing evaluation.  
Meanwhile, a simple solution had been implemented. Each marine rifle squad now carried one smoothbore launcher. While lacking the accuracy of the Lacrimae, or the rapid-fire ability of the pulse rifle, it could launch powerful 60 mm grenades, which simply doubled as standard hand grenades, simplifying the supply problem. It also gave the Marines a much-needed indirect-fire ability. Used for the first time during the assault on Torfan it had quickly gained popularity for its ability to clear out an entire room with a single shot. However, there was no such thing as a free lunch in weapon design. What the Marines had gained in indirect firepower, they had lost in ammunition flexibility. In the old days, each marine could carry enough 25 mm grenades for a Lacrimae to have an ample supply of each ammunition type, the new grenades were simply too large. Shepard carried two standard high explosion fragmentation grenades that could double as hand grenades and two special, shaped-charge, anti-armour grenades and that was all. Normally, there would be additional grenades distributed over the rest of her unit, but she had not had a full rifle squad to begin. Now, of her original squad, only Jin was left. Alenko, already burdened by his specialist equipment, didn't carry grenades; and Williams, whose unit had been equipped according to the old standard, had carried the wrong model even before she expended them. They had scavenged some of the ammunition of the dead, but the situation was still far from optimal. Fortunately, there was only one target to be dealt with.

More rounds tore into the crate. From the corner of her eye, she could see Williams returning fire, but there was no way her Lacrimae's small calibre bullets would be able to take a shield like that down within a reasonable amount of time. This was a specialist's job and-

"Ready when you are, Commander."

"Do it!"

Even from behind cover, she could see the light show of sparks and current arcs as the heavy geth's shield went down. Shepard jumped up, aiming the grenade launcher as she moved. While not the most accurate weapon, at this range she could hardly miss a target that size and a 60 mm shaped-charge armoured piercing round slammed into the geth's torso. As the charge went off, a hypersonic jet of molten stell went straight through armour and expanded into the inner workings lay behind it. Whatever those inner workings were, they were clearly not designed to stand up to old-fashioned HEAT rounds. The geth vanished in a massive explosion.

"Get the rest! Now!"

More rifle fire slashed across the tracks into the remaining geth, ripping two of them apart. A third suddenly staggered as a blueish shimmer surrounded it and its outer casing fell apart. Shepard charged down the stairs, finding new cover at the bottom. There were still more of the bloody robots further down the platform and they were running out of time and ammunition. She loaded another grenade, standard high-explosive fragmentation this time and aimed down the platform to the place where at least two of the geth had sought shelter. From the top of the stairs, Williams and Jin were still firing in short burst, keeping the geth pinned down. Alenko was still up here as well, waiting until his biotics were up again.

Shepard aimed and fired, the grenade arched upward to fall between the geth and exploded. Two more down. A third was still up and firing, but clearly damaged, and its shots went wide. A single burst of automatic fire took it down.

"All clear."

The small unit converged on the Maglev transport that was parked near the end of the platform. Shepard looked around. "Alright people, now for the final stretch. We've got a beacon to secure and a turian to kill. After that, drinks are on me."

 **-o-o-o-**

 **Eden Prime, spaceport**

The small Maglev transport started to slow down as it approached the platform. Shepard's hand tightened on her rifle as she scanned the surroundings.

"Heads up, people. I'll bet you good money that there is a welcoming committee."

Alenko grinned. "No way I'm taking that bet."

"Yeah, didn't think so. The moment this thing stops, you move. And don't stop moving until you're in cover." The transport reached the platform and the marines were moving even before it came to a full stop.  
They were just in time. At least half a dozen geth were scattered around the platform and opened fire in an impressive display of coordinated action. Luckily for the marines, the station had been built in two levels, with the second level raised on a series of solid metal beams that provided ample cover. With their targets dispersed and in cover, the geth tried to advance. It was a tactical error. The Draco assault rifles might lack grenades, but they did not lack firepower. Quick bursts of small calibre rounds quickly tore down shields and the heavier armour piercing slugs made short work of the hardshell casings of the geth. One geth took a headshot that shattered its optics and send it flailing about, a second had its legs shot out from under it. Two more were simply dismantled by numerous hits.

"Commander!" Alenko had is head-up display out again. "I'm picking up a signal."

"The beacon?"

"No, ma'am. It's a countdown. It's coming from multiple locations. I think they've set explosives."

"Fuck!"

Shepard rolled out of cover, shooting in the general direction of the remaining geth to keep them from targetting her. "Jin, Williams, with me. We'll clear out the rest of those flashlights. Alenko, find those bombs and shut them down."

She moved forward, into the fire of the geth. She felt an impact, a second one, her shields were dropping rapidly, but that was the trade-off she had to make to gain time. Two more robots dropped, and the few survivors fell back toward the platform exit.

"Commander, one bomb down."

"Good, keep at it. Williams, cover that exit. I don't want them coming back with reinforcements. Jin, motion tracker. We'll do a full sweep of the platform."

 **-o-o-o-**

They scanned along the platform, but there was no movement. As they approached the exit, Alenko joined them.

"That was the last one. No more explosive surprises."

"Good. Stay alert. We're pretty much at the spaceport now. So, the turian and his little friends will either have to get out of Dodge or make a stand. So far the geth and the xenomorphs haven't really worked together. I hope that's because they cannot, but there is no sense in taking risks. If the geth pin us down with gunfire while the xenomorphs close in, we're toast." She shrugged. "That doesn't even include that ship they put on the ground somewhere. God knows what kind of weaponry that thing has. If they decided to open fire on us with onboard weapons, we're dead meat. The captain may try to engage them, but Normandy isn't exactly a ship-killer. Besides, he'll never be able to stop them from getting the first salvo off. Under the circumstances, I'm overruling Nihlus' set of priorities. I still have one armour piercing grenade left. If we cannot get to the beacon, we'll blow it up."

"Ma'am," Alenko shook his head. "Nihlus may be dead, but he was a Spectre and his recommendation is on record. The council-"

"Isn't here. Neither is anyone else. As the commanding officer on the scene, the final authority is mine. Nihlus' decision was based on limited information. He didn't know we'd be facing geth and I doubt he even knew what xenomorphs are. This ship is an unknown. We don't know where it came from, what the geth are doing with it, or who else is involved. If they make off with the beacon, our chances of recovering it are pretty much zero. In any case, I've made my decision. Now, let's see what they have planned for us. Williams, take point."

 **-o-o-o-**

"One down! One more in cover."

Shepard moved up, passing Williams, who had ducked behind one of the supporting beams that held up the platform above them. One of the geth lay in pieces at the bottom of the stairs. Another was crouched behind a cargo box. Shepard launched a grenade, blowing up the box and the geth at the same time. A bit further away, she could see what she assumed was the beacon. A tall, almost blade-like structure that was clearly not designed by any human engineer. It seemed to be floating above the ground, glittering with some kind of energy field.

"Commander, 9 o'clock!" Jin came up behind Shepard and fired a quick burst at another geth that was approaching from the left, cutting off one its legs.

"Clear to the left!"

"Clear to the right!" That was Williams.

"No movement on scanners. Commander, I'm getting a massive energy spike!" Alenko came running down the stairs. "Ma'am, it looks like a mass effect core powering up. I think it's their ship. Their lifting off."

A massive roar confirmed his statement. A shadow fell over the spaceport and as they looked up, they saw a ship, lift off. Th vessel was large, about the size of a human destroyer, but it manoeuvered with the agility of a much smaller ship, twisting in the air, even as it rose and accelerating quickly.

Shepard followed the ship with her eyes for as long as she could.

"Now there is something you don't see every day. Alright, people. Let's take a look at our beacon. Cause I'm not sure it should be doing what it's doing. Williams, you've seen that thing before. Was it always floating like that?"

"No, ma'am," Williams shook her head. And it wasn't glowing either. Or, you know, doing that!"

Something in the beacon released a shower of sparks that were absorbed in the surrounding energy field.

"Okay, So-"

"Normandy calling ground team." Captain Anderson's voice came through their communicators. "I repeat, Normandy calling ground team."

"And it seems like the jamming is down." She activated her long-range transmitter.

"Normandy, this is ground team. Shepard speaking."

"Shepard, this is Captain Anderson. We're still in stealth. We saw the ship take off. They're making for the edge of the system. Do they have the beacon?"

"Negative, sir. Beacon is right here. Sir, Jenkins and Rahn KIA, so is Nihlus. I've detached Estanza to guard a couple of civilian scientists. Alenko and Jin are still with me, as is a gunnery sergeant Williams of the 2nd Frontier Division. Sir, we have both geth and xenomorphs on the ground."

"I know, Commander." Anderson's voice sounded weary. "We got your warning as soon as the jamming stopped and we have recordings from your helmet cameras uploaded from the military network. We've got the first reinforcements from Arcturus coming through the relay right now, and they've been informed as well. Help is on the way. What do you need right now?"

Shepard looked around. "Sir, we're going to need extraction. So do Estanza and the two scientists and there is another civilian in the Maglev station near where they found the beacon. We're outnumbered, low on ammo, and there's no telling how many xenomorphs there are. There may also still be geth on the ground. But, right now, we've got a problem with the beacon. It looks like it's been activated and I haven't got a clue how to shut it off. I need specialists to secure it. The civilians with Estanza may be able to help."

 **-o-o-o-**

 **USM Normandy**

"Call Estanza!"

"Yes, Captain."

Anderson sighed. _Xenomorphs, geth, a dead Spectre. So much for it being a milk run._ His last assignment before he had to take a desk job in the Citadel. In a way, he had been looking forward to it. As much as he would miss field assignments, the idea of spending time on the Citadel had its appeal. But not under these conditions. He didn't know the details of all the negotiations that had been happening behind the scenes, but it didn't take a diplomatic mastermind to figure out that they must have been extensive. A unique prothean artefact to be handed over to aliens; a Spectre, an acknowledged Council agent, aboard one of humanity's newest warships; the concessions the Council made to get all of that had to have been significant. And now the Spectre was dead, and if the witness at the station was telling the truth, Saren was involved. That name hadn't meant anything to Shepard, but to Anderson, it did. No good was going to come of this.

"Sir, we have Estanza on the comm."

"Good." He activated his communicator. "Estanza, this is the captain. Do you read me?"

"Yes, sir." The marine sounded calm. That was a good sign.

"Are you secure?"

"Yes, sir. I spotted some movement a while ago, but nothing has come close."

Anderson let out a sigh of relieve. "Good. Hang tight, we'll be coming to pick you up asap. Meanwhile, I need to talk to those two scientists."

"One of them is unconscious, sir. I'll put Dr Warren on."

There was a moment's pause.

"This is Dr Warren."

"Doctor, there is something happening with the beacon. According to Commander Shepard, it has been activated. She needs advice on how to shut it down."

"Activated?" The scientist's voice sounded incredulous. "Captain, we didn't even know whether it could be activated without an external power supply. The Council may have specialists who can deal with this, but I have no idea-"

"The council specialists aren't here, Doctor. You are. I'm not going to load that beacon aboard my ship while it's active and I'm certainly not going to tell Shepard and her team to sit around and guard it for several days under these circumstances until some of these specialists can come over. So, right now, you're it."

There was another pause.

"Captain, If I could take a look at it, I might be able to help, but..."

"That can be arranged. Do you have a computer terminal available?"

"I do."

Anderson looked over at one of his techs. "Send her the feed from Shepard's helmet camera."

 **-o-o-o-**

 **Eden Prime, spaceport**

"Shepard, I'm routing your camera feed to Dr Warren. Can you get closer to the beacon for a better look?"

Shepard took a step forward, eyes narrowing as she studied the prothean artefact. Over the past few minutes, the field surrounding it seemed to have grown in size and intensity. It was pulsing, with showers of sparks arching off the object, and although her entire knowledge of prothean technology could be written on a single sticky note, it seemed rather obvious that this was not the way any kind of device was supposed to function.

"Commander, Dr Warren here. Check the lower part of the device. From the way they built the protheans weren't much taller than we are, so any kind of controls have to be below two meters."

She took another step. There were lines of light, flickering across the beacon, tracing patterns that were unfamiliar, yet somehow seemed to make a connection with her. At the back of her mind, she felt a strange pressure, as though something was forcing her to move forward.

Another step. Even as her foot hit the ground an invisible hand seized her and lifted her into the air.

 **-o-o-o-**

"Commander!" Alenko moved forward, to where Shepard was suspended in mid-air, the beacon's energy field swirling around her. He tried to reach out with biotics, but the beacon's energy field shrugged his attempts off without budging. For long seconds Shepard hung there, motionless; then, with a final eruption, the field failed and the commander tumbled to the ground. Alenko knelt down beside her and checked her vitals.

"Normandy, this is Lieutenant Alenko."

"Lieutenant, what the hell just happened."

"Sir, there was some sort of malfunction. The beacon just failed. The commander is unconscious. I repeat, Commander Shepard is down."

Captain Anderson cursed.

"Alright. Hold your position. Normandy will move in for immediate retrieval."

Alenko looked around. Something was moving in the shadows.

"Please hurry, Captain. I think we're about to have company."

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 _Oops! Last time, I mentioned in my author's note that it's good to have a few characters die, which seemed to worry some of the readers. Guys, don't worry. Now, I'm not promising that everyone is going to survive, but I'm not going to kill off loads of characters just to make it look like I'm GRR Martin in disguise.  
_

 _Regarding the grenade launchers: The 30 mm on the Pulse rifle is, of course, canon for the Alien franchise. I described the 25 mm of the Lacrimae in Someone had blundered. It is a system that exists today and was originally introduced on the OICW concept. The reduced explosive power is due to both the smaller calibre and the fact that a grenade, launched from a rifled barrel, needs a much stronger shell casing than for a smoothbore weapon, which comes at the expense of the payload. The weapon that Shepard uses here is copied from the movie Eraser (look on the imfdb website for the drillbit launcher). As to why the new Dracos don't have their own grenade launchers, I'll get to that in a later chapter._


	7. Analysis

**I don't own either Mass Effect or the AvP franchise**

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The cannons fired again and again, but is was like throwing pebbles at a rising tide. No matter how many they killed, the enemy would regroup and attack again. The defence was failing. They had fought well. they had fought incredibly well, but they were outnumbered and they were low on everything. On manpower, on ammunition, on food and water. Water! Right now she'd give everything she owned for a full waterskin. The sun was scorching hot, as it had been for many days, and the low walls around the small compound offered little shadow. For a moment she envied the non-combatants, the women and children who had sought shelter in the small church. _Wait, why would the other women be hiding, while I'm not?_ The thought was fleeting and disappeared as she heard a shout.

"They're over the wall!"

She looked up. Scores of soldiers were climbing over the walls on all sides, swarming into the compound. The cannons fired, cutting many down, but more took their place and there was no time for another salvo. The defenders fell back toward the church, but they were pursued too closely and there was no opportunity to form a line or organise a defence. She turned around, her musket raised.

 _Shoot the first one through the chest, no time to reload, nowhere to take cover or hide. Swing the rifle like a club to crash a skull._ She felt a searing pain in her side and saw an enemy draw back a bloody bayonet. _Swing again, knock his weapon aside. No time to look at the wound. No time for anything but fight._ Some of her friends were still standing, but only a few, so every few and more enemies poured into the compound. _Swing the rifle again, and again._ More enemies fell, but never enough. Hands grabbed the rifle and twisted it from her grasp. She jumped back, her hand clawing at the knife on her belt. She managed to pull it free deflecting another bayonet thrust, but it was getting harder. The pain in her side was getting worse, and she was tired, so very tired. Something struck her head with terrible force, sending her sprawling to the ground. _Try to roll with it, evade the stabbing blades, one, two._ A new burst of pain, this time in her chest, and another, and another _._ Then there was only darkness. _  
_

"Commander?"

 _"What the FLYING FUCK was that?"_ Shepard wasn't sure whether she had spoken out loud as she tried to sit up. _Normandy._ She was back on Normandy. That was good. _  
_

"Welcome back," Dr Chakwas said. "How are you feeling?"

Shepard shook her head, trying to clear her mind, despite her pounding headache. "Like the morning after shore leave. Except I don't remember having any fun."

"I see." The doctor activated the intercom. "Captain, the commander is awake." She smiled briefly. "In the meantime, let me check you out."

 **-o-o-o-**

 **USM Normandy**

"Shepard."

"Sir."

Captain Anderson sat down. "It's good to see you awake, Commander. We were worried. Getting zapped by alien technology is not a condition that we have much experience with. How are you feeling?"

 _A nightmare. It was just a nightmare, not_ _worth mentioning._ "I'm fine sir."

"That's good. Commander, I'd like to give you more recovery time, but we're on a schedule. How much do you remember?"

Shepard considered briefly. "I think all of it, sir. We got the SOS from Eden Prime and I deployed with the marines and Kryik. Jenkins was killed by a drone..." As she went through the events, the memories became sharper.

"... And that's when I got hit by, well, by something."

"An energy discharge from the beacon. Apparently, it was at least partially biotic in nature. And, no, don't ask me how something can be partially biotic, or how a piece of machinery can have biotics. I asked Lieutenant Alenko when I heard it and he didn't have a clear answer for me either. Anway, it sounds to me that you remember everything quite well. After you got zapped, some of the xenomorphs started to close in, but we got the lot of you out before your position was overrun. And, yes, before you ask, you were all checked. No chestbursters present."

Shepard nodded. "That's good to hear, sir. What about the others, Estanza, and the civilians?"

"We got Estanza and the scientists out in time."

"And the guy at the station?"

Anderson shook his head. "No sign of him."

"Damn. We needed him."

Anderson's eyebrows rose slightly. "Not to mention that this is not a fate one would wish on anyone. Correct, Commander?" He shrugged. "But you are right. His testimony would be have been very useful. We have the download from his translation implant, but it isn't the same. In any case, that's the situation as far as your deployment is concerned. Meanwhile, there is some good news. Arcturus HQ came through for us. They deployed most of the quick response force to Eden Prime. The system is under quarantine and, other than the ship that Chief Williams saw landing, we don't believe anyone made it out of the system. Meanwhile, we've got a marine brigade on the ground. They've set up a perimeter and are processing survivors as quickly as they can. As far as we can tell, all remaining geth have been eliminated. The xenomorphs have made some pushes against the perimeter, but it seems like they don't have the numbers for a serious assault."

"Yet. From what I understand, that can change quickly."

"Oh yes. And it will. But the more civilians we get out, the more limited their numbers will be. Of course, that's just short-term concerns. In the long term..." The captain shook his head. "Other than the diplomatic ramifications, which I cannot even begin to estimate, I see three major issues that need to be addressed. First, the geth. I have no idea how they figure into all of this. Our information on them is sketchy at best. The council species don't know much about them and the quarians, the only ones that DO know, aren't talking to anybody. So, there is simply no way to determine what they're up to."

Shepard shrugged. "Acquiring prothean technology? That seems to be pretty much everybody's favourite pastime. I know the geth are machines, but that should actually give them a stronger motive to acquire new technology."

"Perhaps. But as far as I'm aware they've never done this before. And this is not a tentative first move. A major assault on a human colony? That's a serious policy change. Then again, as you say, they are machines. They would probably be less likely than an organic species to be hesitant, once they've made a decision. In any case, speculation without data is pointless. So, moving on, the next issue is the xenomorph infestation. You're too young to remember, but that's not something to mess around with. I'm sure you've heard the stories..."

"I have. And the protocol is very clear. They are to be exterminated at any cost."

"Just so, Commander. Just so." Anderson shook his head. "I thought I'd gotten the last of them when we blew up Calypso. But they're like cockroaches. There are always some left alive. Anyway, this is worse than anything we've ever encountered. Before they were on hostile worlds or space stations. Having them loose on a garden world? That's a disaster."

"Yes, sir. If I may ask, what's the plan?"

"The plan?" Anderson snorted. "We have no plan. Protocol dictates a full sterilization, but nobody thought we'd ever have to do it on a planet like Eden Prime. Right now, we're evacuating people as fast as we can, but it's going slowly. Evacuating a million people takes time and every second we delay will make the sterilization less likely to succeed. Right now we have two bottlenecks: One is the number of people we can load aboard a single ship without overloading the life support systems. The other is the need to X-ray each person that leaves the surface. Even a hospital ship doesn't have enough X-ray machines. then once we're done, we have a new problem. We can bombard the colony and the surrounding area, but with these things, I don't trust kinetic bombardment to finish them off completely. Like I said, they're like cockroaches."

Shepard's eyebrows rose a fraction. "So, let's nuke'em. Problem solved"

"Really, Commander? Did you ever hear about two places called Hiroshima and Nagasaki? Do you know how many people actually survived? Sure, those weapons were weak compared to what we can do now, but then again, humans are weak compared to a xenomorph. And we have to be sure. If even one of them makes it out with a handful of eggs, we'll be facing a disaster further down the road. To be sure, we'd have to glass the colony, as well as an area maybe a hundred miles around it. Do you know what that would do to Eden Prime's biosphere? Not to mention that the Council would be screaming if we do that to a garden world. For that matter, so would our own civilians. No, that's not a decision to be taken lightly and the brass are passing the buck around trying to avoid responsibility, even as we speak." Anderson sighed. "Some things never change I suppose. Anyway, that's above our pay grade. Meanwhile, there is a third problem Saren."

"Our new turian friend, yes. I was wondering about that."

"So am I, Commander, very much so, in fact. I suspect the name didn't mean anything to you-"

Shepard shook her head.

"-but it does to me. I've met him before and I'm not looking forward to repeating that experience. Saren is bad news, Commander. There are a lot of turians that dislike us, but most of them don't live and breath it. For Saren, it's personal. His full name is Saren Arterius. Ring any bells?"

Shepard started to shake her head, then stopped. "Arterius, as in-"

"As in Desolas Arterius, yes. Saren is his younger brother. Saren actually took part in the First Contact War himself. He was at Shanxi. That's where he lost his arm, though we've never been able to determine exactly how. Between that and the fact that we executed his brother for war crimes, he hates our guts."

"Understandably, I suppose."

"Not if it intervenes with duty and in this case it does. It doesn't matter anyway; whatever his motivations, he has sought to harm as before and now he's taken it to a whole new level."

"What about Nihlus," Shepard asked. "Would he have been involved in it? They're both turian Spectres, so..."

"Possibly." Anderson shook his head. "I doubt it. If Nihlus had been in on this, he wouldn't have reacted that way. He would have tried to shoot you in the back. No, I think he was taken by surprise as much as we all were. I can only assume that he recognized this Saren from the ramblings of Dr Manuel. Why that made him run off? I don't know for sure, but I can hazard a guess. Like I said, Saren is rabidly anti-human. Not just a little bit, but obsessively so. Our government knows that about him and the turians know that we know. On top of that, he's a Spectre, which means he isn't even allowed in human space. Even under the best of circumstances his presence on Eden prime would have been a diplomatic mess. Under the actual circumstances, it was a catastrophe. I didn't get to know Nihlus well, but I got the distinct impression that he wanted to ensure good relations, either out of personal inclination, or because of the Council's orders, or both. Probably both. I don't think he believed that Saren was actually behind the attack, or he wouldn't have turned his back on him, but even the thought of Saren just walking around in the middle of the invasion of a human world must have been like a nightmare come true. He had to prevent that from coming out at all costs. Spectres are supposed to deal with threats to galactic stability as they find them, even without orders, and that's what Nihlus intended."

"And do what, hustle Saren out of sight? Hide him in a closet until we were all gone?"

"Probably, yes. He didn't know that the xenomorphs were involved, or that there would be a quarantine. All he needed was to get Saren to lay low until some form of extraction could be arranged, or things could be smoothed over with our government."

"And it got him killed."

"So it would seem."

"So, we have a rogue turian Spectre commanding geth, or at least cooperating with them, and a bunch of xenomorphs on the loose." Shepard shook her head. "If Williams hadn't told me about the ship, if I hadn't seen it myself, I would have assumed that some idiot corporation was breeding these things in a lab, but as it is... How the hell does this fit together, sir?"

"That is the hundred thousand credit question, Commander." Anderson smiled grimly. "Actually, I suspect anyone who has the answer, they can sell it for a lot more than that. I assume you don't have the answer?"

Shepard considered for a moment. She still had a pounding headache and trying to fit the chaotic puzzle pieces together was definitely not helping.

"The geth I can buy," She said slowly. "I mean, they were created by the quarians as a labour force, correct?"

"Yes, so?"

"So, they must have been capable of communication at the time. They may retain that ability. And now they're freaking AIs, but, so what? An AI should be logical, which means you can reason with it. Offer it something that it wants and get something in return. Why would that be impossible? The trick would be to survive long enough to get it to talk in the first place, but this guy is a Spectre, they're supposed to be good."  
Shepard shook her head. "No, I can believe that it's possible to reach some sort of agreement with a bunch of AIs. I wouldn't trust them to keep their word, but that goes for most organics as well. No, my problem is the xenomorphs. I can believe that either Saren or the geth found some of them. I can believe that they would exploit them as a means of waging war. They make for great terror weapons and they can be used as a form of area denial. But how would he control them? That's supposed to be impossible and I believe it. If they could be controlled, we would have done it ourselves."

"Don't!" Anderson snarled. "Don't even think about that, Commander. That very idea led to more grief than you think. Because we did try it. And, no, we didn't succeed." He took a deep breath. "You're forgetting a couple of things. First of all, he may not need to control them. All he needs to do is keep them contained long enough to get to the target. Then he drops them and lets nature take its course. Meanwhile, his geth troops can move about freely, because they aren't suitable prey. That is one option, assuming that he's not interested in taking over the real estate that he infects with them. Of course, he would need a secure way of transporting them, but he may believe that he's found one. That may come back to bite him in the ass, but he's an arrogant bastard, so he may think he can handle it. The second problem with your argument is that we don't know enough about the xenomorphs. The average xenomorph doesn't seem to communicate outside its own species, but the queen may be different. There was a theory, back in the day, that you could control xenomorphs by keeping the queen hostage. In case you're wondering, that didn't work. But that doesn't mean that Saren, or the geth, cannot be trying it. Bottom line: we don't have enough information to judge. Remember that ship on LV-426? It carried xenomorph eggs as a cargo. So, clearly, someone else found a way to make use of them. Or thought they found a way. I've seen the pictures. The pilot of that ship died from a chestburster. So whatever means they used, it wasn't foolproof."

Shepard sighed. "So, we have an anti-human turian Spectre, who is cooperating with a group of AIs and using xenomorphs as shock troops even though he probably cannot control them in the long run."

"That sums it up."

"I see. So, what's our next move, sir?"

"The Citadel. We've just received a message from Ambassador Udina. He wants us to report to the embassy the moment we arrive. As the saying goes, 'We've got some 'splainin' to do!'."

"This is going to be fun."

 **-o-o-o-**

 **Deep space**

"Eden Prime was a major victory," Saren said. "We are one step closer to our goals."

"And one step closer to a new order," his companion agreed. "What about the explosives? Was the beacon destroyed?"

"No explosion took place." The new voice was flat and mechanical.

"What?!" Saren turned around.

"Most likely explanation: the explosives were disarmed."

"Did they access the beacon?"

"Unknown."

"That is very unlikely," The asari standing next to him said. "The beacon was already damaged. It was unlikely to last longer. And even if they managed to connect, without the cypher the data will be meaningless. Whatever they know, or think they know, all they can say for sure is that geth attacked their colony. Let them focus on that. By the time they figure it out, it will be far too late." **  
**

"What about the Council?" Saren growled. "There were supposed to be no witnesses!"

"Neither of us was seen. Even if the geth and the serpents didn't kill off the remaining humans, they have no proof to show the Council. And the Council will not be in a mood to listen to them. They will blame the humans for the loss of the beacon, and possibly for the release of the great serpents. Remember, only humans were ever associated with them, certainly not the geth. Perhaps they were breeding them in a laboratory on their new colony and they escaped in the chaos. Such a typical, irresponsible thing to do. Who knows? Certainly not the Council." She made a sound of contempt. "Not that they have ever known much of anything!"

 **-o-o-o-**

 **Unknown planet**

"This was NOT the plan! The first outbreak was supposed to happen on a Council world."

"When Saren heard of the beacon, he insisted on taking it from the humans. We could not stop them without revealing ourselves to him. In any case, the deployment was successful."

The first speaker nodded. She seemed to calm down as she spoke "In a sense. It worked, but the humans will be on full alert. There will be no second opportunity in their territory."

"True, but that was always going to be the case."

"Stealth would have been a better option. Saren should have smuggled the Kainde Amedha in without launching a frontal assault."

"He probably thought he could achieve the same effect. If the human warship had not appeared at that moment, there would have been time to be thorough and eliminate witnesses. There would have been no survivors, the Kainde Amedha would have made sure of that. All the humans would have known was that there had been a new outbreak. Knowing them, they would probably have sought to blame each other, thinking that some corporation lost control of an experiment, perhaps. We could have fostered such rumours. Any outbreaks after that would have been blamed on the humans as well, no matter where they occurred."

"But the ship did appear and now there will be witnesses. Well, what is done, is done. This was a dangerous game from the beginning. Dangerous, and possibly foolish. For the moment, we will allow it to continue, but I want hunting parties ready to interfere if necessary. For now, I suppose the humans will blame the geth, at least initially, and the Council might agree with them, or blame the humans. Do they know of Saren's involvement?"

"Unknown. He may have been spotted, but the human communications have not mentioned turian involvement."

"Which means nothing. If he was spotted, the game changes. They may be able to convince the Council, and that would spark a hunt like even we have never seen before. And if they take him alive, if they manage to interrogate him, they will understand that he had help. In any case, we need to secure our network. We will start on the Citadel."

"Shall I send in a hunting team?"

"No. not to the Citadel. We cannot risk exposure at this stage. We'll use a bounty hunter."

"The krogan?"

"Exactly."

"Very well. Incidentally, this may be of some interest. We obtained a visual record of the human team that pursued Saren. This was the individual in charge."

A hologram appeared in the middle of the table.

"Her? I wonder... Keep me informed. This just became far more interesting."

 **!-** **!-** **!-** **!-** **!-** **!-** **!-** **!-** **!-** **!-** **!-** **!-** **!-** **!-** **!-** **!-** **!-** **!-** **!-** **!-** **!-** **!-** **!-** **!-**

 _A/N So, yes, Shepard's nightmares are different than in canon. Considering that she got a message from a failing piece of equipment in a language_ that's _50,000 years old, evolved for a species that's fundamentally different, I figured it should take a bit longer to figure out what she's seeing, and the prothean message would have more trouble getting through to a human brain. Keep in mind that in my universe the_ protheans _were nowhere near Earth (there is no_ library _on Mars), so there would be no possibility of some sort of genetic imprint. As to what she was seeing, well, let's just say that the prothean message is desperately trying to show something that a human mind would understand.  
Under the circumstances, Shepard has no reason to believe that it actually is a message. She just had a weird dream after being zapped by some alien device. Nothing to worry about, no need to bother her superiors or the doctor with that. After all, someone who carries around the nickname of 'Butcher of ...' would do well to avoid any hints of mental instability.  
_


	8. A lesson in diplomacy

**I own neither the Mass Effect nor AvP franchise.**

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 **USM Normandy,  
**

There was only one person in the mess hall when Shepard entered.

"Chief Williams."

"Ma'am." Williams made to get up, but Shepard waved her off.

"Never mind. We're not on a parade ground. The captain tells me you'll be part of the crew until further notice."

"Yes, ma'am." She seemed somewhat defensive as she said it. "I hope that won't be a problem, ma'am."

Shepard snorted. "Do your job, and we won't have a problem. Don't do your job, and, well, _I_ still won't have a problem. In the meantime, make sure that you write a full report of all events up until the moment where we met. Every detail, of every event. It'll be part of the documentation we're preparing for the ambassador."

Williams flinched slightly.

"Something wrong?"

"No, ma'am." She hesitated. "It's just that... Writing it all down makes it more real. The others, dogsquad. They're all gone. The entire unit's gone. It will take a while to adjust."

Shepard nodded. "That's the price for being in the military, Chief. Like it or not, not everyone we serve with gets to draw a pension. Unfortunately, that sometimes happens to a lot of people at the same time."

"Yes, ma'am, I know. If I may...?"

"Yes?"

"I heard about Torfan; about the losses you took. How did you get past that?"

Shepard's eyes narrowed. "Let me give you a word of advice, Williams. First rule of Torfan: Don't ever talk about Torfan. Nobody who was ground-side in Torfan wants to discuss it. Do we understand each other?"

Williams stiffened. "Yes, ma'am."

"Good. As for getting past it, that's something everybody's got to figure out for themselves. Some people get drunk. I'm not sure if it helps, but they sure seem to enjoy it. Me, I get angry. A shrink told me that it's displacement and that I should look deeper to find the true emotion underneath it. When I told him that I only saw more anger, he told me to look even deeper. It was probably the least productive conversation I ever had."

Williams relaxed again. "I can imagine, ma'am."

"Good. In any case, if you want to give the 'getting drunk' thing a chance, let me know. I might join you."

 **-o-o-o-**

 _Always Torfan._ Shepard shook her head as she walked back to her quarters. She had hoped that with time people would move on. It had probably been a foolish hope, but somehow she had convinced herself that the universe would move on. Five years later, that didn't seem very likely. Still, it was hard to blame them. After all, Torfan had been a brilliant military success. _Sure it was,_ j _ust ask the USM public relations office!_ Shepard should be in bars, converting her war stories into free drinks, just like all the Torfan veterans. _Oh, wait, that doesn't actually happen. People should really take the hint.  
_

Time to get to work. Shepard had her own report to write and it had to be written with care. Most reports just disappeared into the maws of the bureaucracy, but this one was different. It would be scrutinized by the bigshots at HQ, as well as the human ambassador on the Citadel. And that meant that all the t's had to be crossed, all the i's dotted and nothing could hint at any lack of sincerity or confidence on behalf of the writer.

Shepard sighed. The dream had been back, with varying details, but mostly the same. This time she recognized the time and place of those events and she was rapidly starting to curse herself for ever taking an interest in military history. Her own career already provided plenty of material for anxiety nightmares without a few thousand years of recorded history to add to it. Meanwhile, she was sleep-deprived, unsettled, and generally pissed-off. That was bad. In a few days, she'd have to stand in front of politicians to discuss recent events and that would require a clear mind. _Well, it isn't as though you've never been there before. You got through it last time, you can do it again._

The aftermath of Torfan had not been pleasant, but at least at the time, the brass back at headquarters had had a vested interest in pretending that everything was fine. This time around that wouldn't be the case. No matter who was responsible, Eden prime had been a mess. On top of that, the one crucial element to the mission, the prothean beacon, was now lying scorched and broken in the cargo hold. Everyone would be looking for a scape-goat.

 **-o-o-o-**

 **Serpent Nebula,** ** **three days later****

Visitors to the Citadel were always in for a disappointment. There were many images of the massive space station, showing it against the magnificent backdrop of the Serpent Nebula, the reality was rather less spectacular. Not only would the nebula have been simply white, rather than glowing purple, even if you could see it, but it was also extremely dim, even from the farthest mass relays in the system, and completely invisible to the naked eye from anywhere near the Citadel itself.  
Still, the station itself with its five arms stretching out over nearly fifty kilometres was a most impressive sight, as was the sheer volume of traffic around it, with lines of ships trailing one another from each of the surrounding mass relays all the way to the station.

"Impressive, isn't it?" Lieutenant Alenko asked as he watched Chief Williams gaping like a tourist.

"It's just... there are so many ships. Even at the Arcturus relay, we don't get that kind of traffic."

Alenko smiled briefly. "No bulk carriers, remember? They don't use tachyon shunts, so all the cargo ships are small. We'd pack the cargo of a hundred of those ships into a big box, put a tug in front and call it a day. It's slower but far more efficient."

"And it lacks flexibility," Flight Lieutenant Moreau remarked from his station at the helm. "If you've got a hundred ships, you can adapt on a moment's notice. Those big bulk carriers, once they're on the way, that's it. You've got to let them complete their run, or you're stuck with a million tons of cargo that's just floating in space. Bigger isn't always better."

"Speak for yourself, Joker."

Normandy quickly approached the Citadel, dodging in between cargo ships and passenger liners when a shadow fell over the ship.

"Speaking of bigger," Alenko said softly, as the Destiny Ascension, the flagship of the Citadel Defense fleet appeared from behind one of the station's arms.

"Speaking of bigger, indeed," Williams agreed. "Look at the size of that thing!"

"Just a bunch of show-offs," Moreau replied. "They could have built half a dozen normal dreadnoughts for the prize of that thing. That would have a been a lot more useful, but, no, the asari just had to show everybody who's got the biggest tits."

"And the biggest guns!" Williams answered. "That thing can go through a fleet carrier from bow to stern."

"If they hit it. Besides-"

"Alright, people, that's enough." Captain Anderson walked onto the bridge. "I just received a message from the ambassador. He's received our reports and wants to discuss them with me. I'm supposed to report to him at the embassy as soon as we're docked. Moreau, what's our ETA?"

The pilot sat up a little more straight. "Ten minutes, sir. All we need is final permission."

"Good. Alenko, Williams, you'll come with Commander Shepard and myself to the embassy. We'll leave Estanza and Jin on board for now. If ambassador Udina want sto talk to them, we can always call them up. meanwhile, I want the rest of the crew confined to the ship until further orders. Until I've spoken to the ambassador, noone leaves the ship and noone communicates with anybody."

For a few moments there was silence, then light started blinking on the display. Moreau flipped a switch and a new voice sounded on the bridge.

"Normandy, you are cleared to dock."

 **-o-o-o-**

 **United Systems Embassy, Presidium, The Citadel**

"Captain Anderson. And I see you brought half your crew."

"Just the ones I thought you would need them as witnesses."

"Witnesses to what? My complete humiliation? They don't need to be here for that, Captain. I'm sure every news organisation in Citadel Space will be broadcasting it live." Ambassador Donnel Udina, a lean-faced man with the demeanour of someone who had been fed nothing but lemons since his early childhood, leaned back in his chair. "Oh, you meant as witnesses of what happened on Eden Prime. I've read their reports. Unless those are incomplete there doesn't seem to be much point in them coming here in person. The one witness I needed, is the one you lost. Tell me, which one of you took the decision to leave him wandering around in the middle of a combat zone?"

"That would be me," Shepard spoke up.

"Ah, yes, the redoubtable Commander Shepard. Such a pleasure to finally meet you in person. In case you wonder, I'm the one who protected you from a batarian-led war crimes tribunal, the last time you made the news."

Shepard's eyebrows rose. "I didn't know that aliens held those. From what I remember from history class, the whole concept seemed rather new to them."

"Oh, but they learn fast, Commander; and whatever the councillors may have said in public, they were quite happy to point out human hypocrisy to me in private. In any case, that was then, this is now. And now means a dead Spectre, a destroyed beacon, and a planet under quarantine. Well, Commander, is there any way we can classify this other than as an unmitigated disaster?"

Shepard stared back, carefully keeping her face expressionless. "We secured the beacon, Mr Ambassador."

"You mean you secured what was left of it!"

"Unfortunately, yes, but we kept the geth from transporting it off-world."

"Yes," Udina said. "Because the location of a bucket full of scorched spare parts matters, after someone activated it and presumably downloaded its database. Do you have any idea of the damage this will do, Commander? That beacon was worth a fortune. It was worth more than a fortune. And that's what I made the Council pay to get it. They bought that beacon from us, Commander. And they paid through the nose for it."

Shepard shrugged. "And they can have it. So, it's damaged. So what? Until the attack, we didn't even know for sure that it could be activated. They took the gamble to buy it when it's second hand and 50,000 years old. I think it's safe to say that the warranty has expired."

"You think that's funny, Commander? Let me explain a basic rule of diplomacy to you. 'Buyer beware' does NOT apply! When you have a valuable product, and you use that product as leverage to gain concessions, you'd better be able to deliver. Otherwise, the repercussions can be most unpleasant."

"Then, ambassador, I strongly recommend that in future the United Systems secure such products first, and then use them as leverage and not the other way round."

"Commander, if I ever want your advice on how to conduct diplomatic negotiations, you'll be the first to know."

"Commander Shepard can hardly be blamed for this," Captain Anderson said. "Between the geth, the xenomorphs, and Saren, there was no way to get to the beacon in time."

"Oh, I can assure you that there will plenty of people that can blame Commander Shepard just fine, Captain. Or do you expect us to get any sympathy for this? That was our colony, so it was our job to protect it. Noone will even mention that we didn't keep a fleet there on Council insistence, because they won't want to mention it. Blaming humans for everything is much easier than sharing the blame. It would have been bad enough if it had been pirates or batarian raiders, but everyone is scared stiff of the geth; and scared people, no matter the species, always look for scapegoats. As for Saren, do you really think the Council will thank us for flinging accusations at their favourite pet? How well did that work out last time?"

Out of the corner of her eye, Shepard saw Captain Anderson stiffen slightly. Clearly, there was more to this than she had been told.

Udina shook his head. "At least you managed to achieve some measure of success. We have voiceprints of Saren from our past, eh, associations. We can match those against what you pulled out of that railroad worker's head."

The ambassador thought for a few moments.

"We may yet be able to turn this whole disaster to our advantage, but we have to be careful. Extremely careful." Udina smiled grimly. "First order of the day, is for me to go to the Council chamber and take my public spanking like a good boy. The loss of the beacon, the deployment of warships into the demilitarized zone, all of it. There will be the usual reprimands and threats of dire consequences. That will allow the Council to save a little face for the fact that they gave away the store and got a broken toy in return. I'll stand there and take it and then blame it all on the geth. Keep that in mind, everyone. As far as the public is concerned, it was a geth raid. That's all. The xenomorph presence cannot be hidden, but for now, it will go unexplained; because, frankly, there is no good explanation. As for Saren, his name will not even be mentioned."

"What?!" Anderon jumped up, making Shepard wince slightly. For all his unpleasant demeanour, Udina seemed to be on to something. No need to annoy him needlessly. "We finally have the proof to take that bastard down and you-"

"Which is useless, unless we also have Saren. Think, Anderson! If I publicly accuse Saren, it will be all over the Citadel in minutes and all over galactic news in hours. If Saren decides to fight the accusation, the Council will have to choose once again between believing humans or their own agent, while the whole galaxy looks on. As much fun as it would be to watch them make that choice in real-time, it would also alienate them permanently, even if they officially sided with us. And if Saren figures our evidence is too strong for him to fight, he'll go into hiding. This is a Spectre, Captain, a specialist in covert-ops with an entire galaxy to hide in. How much chance do you think we have of finding him under those circumstances? I could try to approach the Council in private, but that carries the same risk. The Presidium leaks like a bloody colander. There is the Shadow Broker, of course, and you can bet that Saren has dealings with him, but he isn't the only one. Everyone trades in information around here, and they will do anything to obtain it. The simple fact that I ask for a private audience with the councillors will already attract attention. From that moment on, we'll all be under a microscope and any attempt to find Saren will set off alarm bells all through Citadel Space."

Udina smiled again, a little more brightly this time. "No, we have to be more cautious than that. First of all, we need more information; there are far too many unconnected dots here. Second, we need a back-channel to the council, so that we can get information to them, without cc-ing it to half the galaxy. That's where you come in, Anderson."

"Me?" Captain Anderson looked surprised. "I haven't been on the Citadel since your predecessor retired. And even then, I never had any high-level contacts here."

"Oh, but you do, Captain. Someone you know went into business here a few years ago. In fact, she's done quite well for herself. And you are just the sort of person who would look up an acquaintance, just for old times' sake. Nothing suspicious about that, nothing noteworthy about that. Just wait a day, then give her a call. She can take it from there. Meanwhile, Commander Shepard is free to move and gather information. I believe this is your first time on the Citadel, Commander?"

"That is correct."

"Good, then nobody will be surprised if you start playing tourist. A perfectly normal thing to do and it will accustom people to seeing you wander around."

"And then it won't attract attention, once I start wandering around for other reasons. I understand." Shepard nodded. "Why me? I'm not a covert operative. Surely the embassy has intelligence personnel?"

"Didn't you hear what I just said, Commander?" Everyone here trades in information. Yes, I have intelligence officers on my staff. I'm also reasonably sure that at least one of them takes bribes and I'm a hundred per cent sure that they have all been identified by Citadel Security, as well as any and all other interested parties. The moment they depart from their daily routine, it will be noticed."

"I understand. What about weapons? Sooner or later, somebody might take exception to me, eh, wandering. And I doubt they'll let human marines walk around in full combat gear."

"Hardly." Undina thought for a moment. "I will request that you be temporarily attached to embassy security. That will allow you to carry handguns concealed. But no more than that. Don't even think about bringing heavy weaponry and don't use any kind of weapons unless you absolutely have to. I've worked very hard to impress these aliens that humans aren't a bunch of bloodthirsty, hyperviolent thugs. Don't prove me wrong."

Udina stood up.

"Now, it's time for me to see the Council. You will remain here. When I come back, we'll continue this discussion."

 **!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-**

 _A/N. A very different Udina, and a very different approach to politics than in canon. Udina in the first game always annoyed me, because he comes across as stupid. He just yells a lot and doesn't seem to think beyond the next five minutes, which is the exact opposite of what a diplomat should be doing. Yes, the humans have proof against Saren, far more than in the canon version, but why lay it all out in the open? Most diplomacy is not done in full view of the cameras. As for Udina, I don't mind him being a self-serving weasel, but I'd like for him to be a smart weasel.  
_

 _As for the Serpent Nebula, I'm afraid astronomical phenomena are rather less spectacular in real life than in SciFi. The colours we see in observations are not real, but from a look-up table that is applied to the different wavelengths in which the observation was done. As for it being visible at all, this is an effect called effective surface brightness. A nebula can be visible from a distance because you get light from the entire nebula. If you are close, you can only see a tiny fraction of it, which actually makes it dimmer. From the inside, you wouldn't see anything at all._

 _The weapons: In canon the Citadel has ridiculously lax gun laws. Apparently, military personnel, irrespective of what military they serve in, can walk around while openly carrying military grade weapons. In this universe, humanity isn't even part of the Citadel, so there is no way that would be tolerated._

 _Someone asked why Anderson ripped up at Shepard in the last chapter. I admit, he was a bit over the top, but for him, it was almost a superstition,_ _ _like saying 'Candyman' 9 times._ 'Don't talk about controlling xenomorphs. If you do, someone will try it.'  
_


	9. Tourism

****Mass Effect belongs to Bioware and EA. The Alien/Predator franchise is the property of 20th Century Fox.****

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 ** **The Citadel.****

 **Financial District, The Presidium**

There was no visual connection, only audio. That was always the case.

"The krogan will arrive shortly," the voice said.

Barla Von, officially the most respected financial advisor on the Presidium and unofficially the most respected information broker wheezed softly as he spoke.

"I have confirmed there is no other leak ..." wheeze "... There will be no further..." wheeze "... security breaches."

"Good. However, there may a new problem. The humans may be looking for Saren."

That was new information, information that he should have found for himself.

"There has been no indication..." wheeze "...The human ambassador..." wheeze "...blamed only the geth."

"That means nothing. If they suspect Saren's involvement they would be wise to remain silent for now. Note the two officers that arrived. Anderson has a history with Saren. Shepard has not, but she is the sort of officer the humans might send it if they wanted to deal with a Spectre, permanently."

"Should I inform Saren..." wheeze "...that the Butcher of Torfan..." wheeze "...may be hunting him?"

There was a moment of silence.

"No. Saren needs to learn that there is a price to be paid for subverting the Shadowbroker's agents. Let him feel what it is like to be blind and deaf. But observe closely. Events are moving quickly. Either Shepard or Anderson may contact you for information. If so, steer them towards Fist. he knows little of true value and it will raise your credit with the humans. Besides, it will do Urdnot Wrex good to have some competition."

 **-o-o-o-**

 **Near the Presidium lake  
**

Three humans wearing undress USM uniforms were standing next to the Presidium lake, staring at giant, stylized figure of a Krogan while the holographic figure of an asari explained the nature and origin of the statue and all around them people of all species went about their business. That in itself was probably more remarkable than the statue. Twenty-five years ago, no one on the Citadel had even known that humans existed, and their discovery had let to the largest military and political crisis in centuries. Now a group of uniformed humans could stand in the middle of the Presidium, without anyone sparing hem a second glance.

 _"... despite strong pressure to have it removed in the wake of the Krogan Rebellions, the Citadel Council decided that the statue should remain, in memory of the many krogan that sacrificed their lives for galactic peace. Also-"_

"Yadda-yadda-yadda- Does that thing ever shut up?" Shepard slapped her hand down on the interface and the asari hologram disappeared. "Much better. Damn, if they're going to put asari holograms all over the place, why don't they dress them up to make them look a little more fun?" She gave the giant krogan statue another look. "Ugly as sin. I guess it honours the krogan because it makes them look pretty by comparison. Anyone who has seen this and meets a real krogan goes 'Oh, I guess it's not that bad after all'. Besides, since when do krogan give a damn about galactic peace? Even I know them better than that. They were probably just looking for a good fight. Morons should have kept a few rachni alive. They could have built themselves an arena and held gladiator games." She took out her tablet and opened the brochure they'd been following. "What's next on this bloody school trip?"

"Commander...?" Chief Williams tried to speak up, not for the first time, but Shepard waved her off.

"Shut up. The ambassador told me to play tourist, so I'm playing tourist. As for you two," She grinned. "I wouldn't dream of denying you a share of all this wonderful alien culture we're looking at. Let's see... next stop, the Mass Relay Monument."

 **-o-o-o-**

 **Nightclub Flux, Upper Wards  
**

Anderson looked around as he nursed his overpriced drink. Not much had changed in the nightclub since his last visit, many years ago. Flux still had the same bustling volus proprietor, the same dancefloor, the sound of the Quasar machine upstairs. The krogan bouncer seemed to have been replaced, but the new one projected the same image of hulking menace as the old bouncer. One thing had changed, though: humans. The last time he'd visited the Citadel, humans had been a tiny minority, and they had clustered together among their own kind. No more, now there were at least half a dozen humans scattered around Flux and they were mingling with the rest of the clientele. Under the circumstances, that was a good thing. It meant that one could arrange a meeting in plain sight, without attracting any attention.

Anderson rose from his seat as a woman approached his table. She smiled.

"Please, no need to stand on formalities on my account. It's been a while. I understand it's Captain Anderson, these days."

He nodded. "Ms Vickers. Long time, no see"

"Indeed. Mind if I sit down?"

"Of course not. Please, let me get you a drink."

"Thank you."

Andersson pressed the call signal for the waiting staff while she sat down.

"It's been a long time since we boarded the Calypso, Ms Vickers. Tell me, when we were discussing the alien ship we found there, did you ever imagine we might end up meeting again in a place like this?"

"Please, call me Meredith. We're old friends, after all. And, no, this..., this is beyond anything I could have dreamed up."

"Same here," Anderson shook his head ruefully. "So, tell me, how have you been? I understand you left Weyland-Yutani to start your own business here."

She nodded. "It's been going quite well, really. There are a lot of non-human corporations that want to do business with us, but they're running into endless roadblocks. Some of them deliberate, of course, but a lot is just the result of misunderstandings and a lack of knowledge. They all need someone to intercede for them, to contact the right people, to make sure the right forms are filled out, and to make sure that they know how to avoid offending the wrong people. That's where I come in."

"Smoothing the way."

"Exactly. All these different species have been interacting for so long that their societies have completely mixed. On the one hand, that makes them quite cosmopolitan, on the other, it leads them to underestimate how different an alien culture can be. Then we came along and a lot of their instinctive assumptions simply don't work with us. And, of course, any human corporation that tries to set up shop in Citadel Space runs into the same kind of problems." She shrugged. "We don't have a few thousand years of intermingled cultures to mould our preconceptions, but a few centuries of science fiction stories have generated a remarkably similar effect. It can be an uphill struggle to convince people that aliens are not just funny looking humans with weird foreheads. But that's enough about me. Tell me, David, why was Udina so insistent that we meet? I would have thought he'd have his hands full with the situation on Eden Prime."

 ** **-o-o-o-****

 **The Presidium**

The Relay Monument was very aptly named.

"Oookay. Well, it's a relay." Williams looked at it again. "I'm not an expert, but it looks like a really good copy. But what is it doing here?"

"I don't know, but I'm sure we're going to find out," Shepard muttered as she activated the hologram.

 _"The Relay Monument is a popular topic among-"_

 _"_ Oh for... Cannot they at least use a different asari for each hologram? This is beyond boring!" She looked around and noticed Lieutenant Alenko, who was staring intently at the mass relay replica.

"Everything alright, Lieutenant?"

"What...?" Alenko shook his head. "I'm sorry, ma'am. It's just. I thought I was hearing this... this humming noise, coming from that statue."

Shepard's eyebrows rose slightly as she looked back at the massive monument

"Cannot say I hear anything. Well, other than see-through lady here." She pointed at the holographic asari who was still babbling on and on about the protheans and why they might have built a mass relay statue when there was any number of real, working relays all around the Serpent Nebula, easily accessible for anyone who felt the need to look at them.

"I'm sorry, ma'am," Alenko repeated. "I'm sure it's nothing."

"Alright then. Everybody got a good look? Now, what else can we find to gape at." She searched the brochure. "Looks like we're all out of statues. We can sit by the lake and eat our lunch, except we don't have anything to eat. We can walk through the commercial district and look at merchandise we cannot afford, or-" She looked around. An argument seemed to have broken out between a turian security officer and a hanar, who were disputing whatever it was that turians and hanar disputed, and a small crowd was forming. "No, let's not get involved in that. That guy has the typical look of a cop about to lose his temper. That usually involves handcuffs, though..." She paused. "I'm not entirely sure how one would go about cuffing a jellyfish. Still, no sense in giving the cop additional targets."

"Commander, look at this!" Williams was looking at one of the many screens scattered around the area. Normally it was showing an endless stream of advertising, but the program seemed to have changed to a news broadcaster.

"Look, Commander, they're showing the ambassador's meeting with the Council."

Shepard grinned. "He was in a foul mood when he got back, but for some reason, the recordings didn't make the news, yesterday. A bureaucrat getting kicked around? And we get to watch it for free? I guess aliens do know how to have fun, after all."

 **-o-o-o-**

 **Flux**

"You have a problem, David. The whole concept of SPECTREs is controversial, even in Citadel space. Frankly, I suspect that historically some of the councillors have wished that the program had never been initiated. Unfortunately, they're pretty much the only independent armed force the Council has, so they will not publicly denounce them. And this is Saren we're talking about, the poster boy Spectre. Now, personally, I think he's a thug, but there is no denying that he gets results and that's what his reputation is based on. If you want the Council to withdraw their protection, you're going to need solid proof; and to get that proof, you'll need to move quickly and without making waves. Then, assuming you get it, you need to inform the Council without tipping Saren off. And that's a whole new challenge.  
Let's be clear. Neither you nor this Commander Shepard can investigate Saren without him finding out. Forget it, it cannot be done. He will find out, the moment anyone starts asking questions. The best you can hope for is to make him think it's just humans looking for him, that the Council is still behind him. That may stop him from going to ground and hiding somewhere on some empty rock in space where you'll never find him. But it will require a lot of careful manoeuvering and that the Council plays along."

"And the chances of that happening?"

"Not good. First, we have to go through an intermediary who has to keep his or her mouth shut. Keep in mind, that it doesn't matter if Saren finds out what Udina tells the Council. Just the fact that he's talking to them in secret will be enough to arouse suspicion." Vickers thought for a moment. "I think I know the right person, someone that I can approach without setting off any alarms. Also, someone that you or Shepard can talk to, even openly. Now that I think about it, Shepard would be better. The aliens have not forgotten the 'Butcher of Torfan'. Her, eh, notoriety makes her something of a public figure. My contact can seek her out without attracting the wrong kind of attention. The problem is the Council. First, we'd have to convince them to cooperate, then they have to make sure they don't get caught at it. That's going to be hard."

"How is that? All they have to do is ignore what we're doing and stay out of the way while we're tracing Saren."

She laughed without much humour "Really? Don't you think you'll need them? What if Saren is in Citadel Space? How are you going to pursue him without Council permission? And how can they give it without it becoming known? What if Saren contacts the Council? As a Spectre, he does check in with them occasionally. He will certainly do so now, to see if they suspect anything. Would you not want them to tip you off? They have to participate. And the Councillors live in a fishbowl, David. Their every word and every move are under scrutiny."

"Are you saying it cannot be done?"

"No, but it will be complicated, there is no guarantee of success, and it will require that the Councillors, -all three of them!- want it to happen. As I said, you will need solid proof."

 **-o-o-o-**

 **The Presidium**

 _"We had an agreement, ambassador Udina."_ The asari councillor's voice was cold. _"We allowed the settlement of Eden Prime on the condition that you would not keep warships in the Demilitarized Zone."_

 _"Perhaps you should inform the geth, councillor."_ Udina retorted. _"I guess they didn't get the memo, because they seem to be quite willing to deploy their warships wherever they want."  
_

 _"What ships, ambassador?"_ That was the turian. _"The only hostile vessel that was observed has long since left the system. There is absolutely no need for a continued USM fleet presence in the Utopia system. The geth are long gone and from what you say these, eh, xenomorphs do not even know how to fly a shuttle. Your ground forces should be able to handle that. There is absolutely no excuse for a continued presence of, what was it? Two carriers, two battlecruisers, eight destroyers and ten rapid deployment vessels in orbit over Eden Prime. Not to mention the frigates that have been observed all over the Exodus Cluster."_

 _"And invite the geth to return?"_ Udina sounded outraged _  
_

 _"Why would they do so, considering that the only item of value to them has been destroyed?"_

 _"Should we then trust the safety of our people to unwarranted assumptions about the motives and behaviour of an artificial intelligence?"_

"We should have brought some popcorn," Shepard remarked as she looked at the screen.

"It's kinda sad, though," Williams said. "I honestly don't know who to root for."

"Why root for anyone? That's the nice thing about bureaucratic deathmatches. No matter who gets smacked down, it's a win for the audience."

"Udina's being rather aggressive, though," Alenko observed. "Wasn't he the one who was supposed to get smacked down? He certainly seemed to think of it that way."

"He may be a bit oversensitive," Shepard said. "Then again, he actually has legitimate points here. Screw the treaty. We're not going to leave Eden Prime open to another attack and he knows it. So do the aliens. I suspect this is all just bluster, so the Council can tell everyone that they really told the mean humans off for sending in those ships. No, the smackdown is yet to come. Listen! I think they're just about to get to it."

 _"That beacon was priceless, ambassador, Absolutely priceless!"_ The asari was speaking again. _"_ _And you knew that as well as we do._ _When we entered into our agreement, it was on the clear understanding that it would be handed over to us undamaged, so that all species could share in its discovery-"_

 _"With all due respect, councillor, prothean technology does not come with a_ _warranty."_

"That's my line!" Shepard was glowering at the screen, much to the amusement of the others. "That son-of-a-bitch! He was sitting there, lecturing me, and then he stole my line"

" _To let it be accessed by the_ geth _, let alone destroyed is beyond reprehensible. Your people had a responsibility and they failed. They failed completely! There will be consequences for this, ambassador. Grave consequences."_

 **-o-o-o-**

 **Tiberius Towers, Silversun Strip  
**

Meredith Vickers looked at her screen and hesitated. When you were about to engage in a high-level conspiracy and the person you needed to contact actually contacted you first, without being asked, it was time to wonder whether it was a happy coincidence, or if someone else was moving pieces on the chessboard. Still, there was no real reason not to answer the call.

She pressed the contact button.

"Ms Vickers"

"Hello, Sha'ira."

The asari consort smiled. "I hope I'm not interrupting."

"Not at all. What can I do for you?"

"I have a small problem that I need some help with. There is this curious human tool, which I don't know how to use."

"A tool?"

"Yes. You see, I have been invited to the opening of a new human restaurant here on the Citadel. Now, I've been informed that its food requires a particular method of eating, involving this," She held up a thin stick. "to pick up the food." She frowned. "I'm not entirely sure how that can work; and on these occasions, one doesn't wish to appear provincial."

"Ah!" Vickers nodded. "I see. For one thing, one uses two of them at once, not one."

"Oh?"

"Yes. It's really quite easy, but it does require a little practice. If you can make some time, perhaps you could come over so I can demonstrate."

"Of course."

 **-o-o-o-**

 **Lower Wards**

The bleeding had slowed down, thanks to the built-in emergency medical gear in her suit. That was the good news, the only good news. The list of bad news was considerably longer. For one thing, the bleeding hadn't actually stopped. For another, the shot had not gone through completely. At least some parts of the projectile were lodged inside her and there was not much she could do about it. Her suit could provide first aid, but it wasn't a replacement for a trained surgeon. Between that and the rising fever, she needed medical assistance, discrete medical assistance, and she needed it quickly.  
Finding such medical assistance was a challenge in itself. She could not use a public terminal. Quarians attracted attention from the authorities wherever they went on the Citadel. A wounded, bleeding quarian would stand out anywhere. Fortunately, the Citadel's information network had proven to be quite vulnerable to some discrete hacking. She scrolled down the list. _No, no, definitely not, possible -wait owned by turians? I don't think so-, no, no, wait! Upper wards but nearby. Human operated. Human? Well, it could be worse._ In fact, humans might have less prejudice against quarians than most species, or rather, they were rumoured to be equally prejudiced against everybody _._ Still, anyone running a medical clinic in the wards would have to treat other species than their own, just to stay in business and a human-run clinic would be sure to have access to medigel. The new human invention had been spreading throughout Citadel Space, and even the Terminus for the past few years, but it could still be hard to come by _.  
Alright, let's check. Human medical ratings? Better than expected. Technical xenomedicin quality improving over time. Ethics? Some complaints, but not that many. Link to oath of... OK, I cannot even pronounce that, but it sounds reasonable. Well, I guess I'm about to find out for myself.  
_

 **!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-**

 _A/N All those conversation options I wanted to have, but ME1 didn't give them to me when I was walking around the Presidium and filling up codex entries. Now I finally get to use them anyway. It wasn't the worst way to provide background exposition, but I still wish there'd been a way to shoot the asari who stood model for that hologram and provided Avina's happy voice.  
_

 _I was a bit in doubt about Dr Michel's clinic, considering the different political situation, but in the end, I kept it the way it is in canon. If there are humans living on the Citadel, they're going to need medical care and it only makes sense that doctors would set up shop. Just like there would inevitably be human restaurants. (And someone teaching aliens how to use chopsticks.)_

 _And Vickers is back. I'm getting a lot more mileage out of that character than Prometheus did. Such a waste of a good actress.  
_


	10. Preparations

**Mass Effect belongs to EA and Bioware. AvP is the property of 20th Century Fox.**

 ** **!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!****

 **USM** **Normandy, docked at Citadel**

The soldier in front of her fell, an arrow through his throat. She stepped forward, taking his place in the shield wall. More arrows came flying in from all sides. Most of them bounced off the bronze faces of the shields, or of the soldiers' helmets, but a few always found targets and more men fell to the ground. She could see the archers massed around the hill, careful to keep their distance. The barbarians had learned. The first two days, they had tried to come close and engage in hand-to-hand combat. They had been slaughtered by the thousands as the bronze tips of the defenders' spears ripped through their flimsy wicker shields and cloth armour. Now, they kept their distance, relying on their bows to do the killing, no matter how long it took  
The battle was lost. Any fool could see that. But the king had given his word that they would cover the retreat, and so they had. She could only hope that it would be enough, that the rest of the advance force could escape and link up with the main army. Perhaps they would, perhaps not. Perhaps she would find out in the afterlife, but that was in the hand of the gods.  
Something smashed into her back with terrible force. An arrow! With a strange clarity, she understood that it must have flown over the hill, over the shield wall on the other side, and somehow passed through the ranks behind her.  
"To come back with my shield or on it," she whispered as she sank to the ground. "I kept that promise."

"Okay, this has to stop." Shepard looked at her alarm. It was too early to rise but too late to get back to sleep. That seemed to be the story of her life, lately. She had suffered through variations of the same nightmare for several nights in a row. Now, the nightmare had changed, but it wasn't much of an improvement. "That's it. No more studying old battles. Only light comedy for me from now on."

She checked the time again, but it hadn't magically moved an hour. Shepard got out of bed anyway. No point in lying down and worrying if she was going to be awake anyway. There might at least be some coffee available in the ship's mess. She'd need a clear head for the next meeting at the embassy.

 **-o-o-o-**

 **Human embassy, the Presidium**

"Well, the Council has made its first move. A turian fleet will be dispatched to the demilitarized zone to keep an eye on our ships." Udina looked even more sour than normal. "I can only hope that there aren't too many hotheads on either side, so we can avoid a shooting incident, but, to be frank, my past experience with the military does not give me much cause for optimism in that regard. No," He raised a hand as Captain Anderson tried to speak. "I don't want to hear it. It will not end with this, of course. The next step will be some form of economic reprisal, to make up for the concessions they did to get the beacon. Meanwhile, the first garbled stories about the attack on Eden Prime are circulating in the news. Lots of speculation about the geth, obviously, but also a few stories about an unknown alien species."

"How much do they know?" Anderson asked.

"Not much. The question is, how much do they suspect? We've always maintained that we did not get element zero-based technology through the protheans, which is technically true. But the Council has its suspicions that we didn't figure it out all by ourselves either. Now, they knew about the xenomorphs because of the Calypso incident, but we insisted that they were only animals and they had no real reason to doubt us. But now the xenomorphs have shown up again, and if they make the connection, they'll start digging and eventually find out about LV-426."

"So what?" Shepard asked. "I've never understood why people were so desperate to keep it all secret. So, we found a derelict ship, we learned from it. That's exactly what other species have done with prothean dig sites, so it's hardly a crime. Why bother to hide it?"

A look passed between Udina and Anderson. For once the two men seemed to be in harmony.

"Talk about a generation gap," Udina smirked a little.

"Yes," Anderson said. "Think of it from the perspective of the old days, Commander. Less than a century-and-a-half ago, we thought we were alone in the universe. Then we found that ship, and people started dying. The first ship that stumbled across that derelict was destroyed by the crew to get rid of the xenomorph that managed to get on board. It was given up as lost until the only survivor showed up after half a century in cryo-sleep. Even then, nobody knew what was going on, because Weyland-Yutani managed to keep it a secret. Next thing we knew, contact with the colony was lost, but we still didn't know what was going on. That was when Lieutenant Gorman and his unit were dispatched to LV-426, and I'm sure you know what happened next."

Shepard nodded. The loss of a Colonial Marine unit and the complete destruction of the colony on LV-426 had become something of a legend, a story that was whispered about in mess halls and dorm rooms, a cautionary tale about incompetent officers and overconfident marines. When she had finished her N7 training and got a chance to learn what had actually happened she had still marvelled over the chain of mistakes that had led to the disaster.

"Then it turned out that some xenomorphs had escaped, and we had the mess in the prison on Fiorina 161. That's when people started to investigate and suddenly we realised that we were living in a nightmare without even realizing it." Shepard twitched slightly, but Anderson didn't seem to notice.  
"A link was found to the destruction of Sevastopol station, decades earlier, which meant that the Seegson corporation was involved as well. The pins kept dropping and the military was in a panic. In the end, we managed to fix it. We slapped down the corporations and established the United Systems to make sure that we'd always have a strong government to oversee the military and keep the corporations under control. But meanwhile, we had to deal with a series of xenomorph infestations that kept popping up, because people kept trying to study them and they kept breaking out. When I joined the Marines, half a century after LV-426, that was still a concern. However, the general public only had a vague idea of what was going on. Before we discovered eezo, FTL communications were very much a luxury, so the news didn't travel all that fast."  
Anderson shrugged and continued. "It was in that environment that the first eezo-tech showed up, out of the R&D division of Weyland-Yutani. At that point, we weren't going to advertise what exactly had happened. W-Y didn't want it to get out, because they would look like the villains, and the military didn't want it out because we'd look like fools that had danced to the corporations' tune for far too long. Besides, there was the very real possibility that whoever built that derelict ship was still somewhere out there and might show up at any time. A civilization that was far more advanced than our own. Can you image the panic that would have caused in a society that was going through an internal upheaval? So, they decided to keep the whole thing secret and once you start hiding information-"

"-it's easier to keep doing that than to come clean," Udina concluded. "Then we actually met a bunch of aliens, and we certainly weren't going to share the origin of our technology with them. Let them think we figured everything out on our own. Not to mention, that we didn't want to give them any smart ideas about finding a few xenomorphs of their own and set up their own little research program. But that's enough of a history lesson. We have to deal with the fallout from Eden Prime. So far, we've not been accused of turning the xenomorphs loose ourselves, but I'm sure that's only a matter of time. Conspiracy theorists will never pass up that opportunity and there isn't much we can say in return. Telling the whole story about LV-426 wouldn't help, even if I was authorized to make it public. But that is for later concern. Right now, we have work to do. I hear you spent all of yesterday playing tourist, Commander."

"Yes, sir, if it's on the Presidium, we've seen it."

"And you have been seen. We received enquiries from several reporters about unconfirmed sightings of 'The Butcher of Torfan' on the Citadel, as well as-" Udina scrolled down the list "-a rather nervous sounding message from a salarian family who want to know if it's safe for them and their offspring to be on the Citadel with such a violent individual as you walking about. Such excitable creatures, salarians. And then there is this." He looked up. "You have received an invitation from the asari consort, Sha'ira. She would like to make your acquaintance."

"Asari consort?" Shepard activated her tablet and searched for a moment. "This has to be a joke. Why would some asari escort want to meet me?"

"More of a geisha than an escort, really; but to answer your question, apparently she, too, heard of your presence here and is curious about such a renowned soldier." Udina snorted. "And I have a bridge for sale on Zakera Ward. Trust me on this, Commander: There are no coincidences. The consort's services come highly priced and are in extremely high demand. Normally, you'd have to make an appointment, months in advance, just to have a conversation with her. If she wants to meet on such short notice, there is a good reason. So, Shepard, you've got a date. I strongly suggest that you go alone; taking your fellow soldiers with you would look, peculiar, to say the least. Meanwhile, we have to start moving on Saren. Captain Anderson's contact here on the Citadel has raised a very good point: we cannot investigate Saren without Saren hearing about it, no matter how subtle we are. So, we'll have a small window of time from the moment we start asking questions to the moment where Saren either retaliates or runs for it."

"So, why be subtle at all?" Shepard asked. "If he's going to find out anyway, we should make the most of the time we have, not waste our time with clever tricks."

"Because we can make the time window as large as possible by controlling how and what he finds out." Udina smiled thinly. "I discussed this yesterday with your Captain. Anderson?"

Anderson sighed.

"Saren and I have a history together. The details don't matter. Let's just say things didn't end well and I tried to get Saren stripped of his Spectre status. And that is known here on the Citadel. It is also known that I've been assigned to the embassy as the military liaison. It's not unreasonable to think that I would be using my new assignment to dig up dirt against Saren, or to create such dirt by making false accusations. For example, I might hint that Saren was involved in the attack on Eden Prime, just to cause him embarrassment."

Shepard looked sceptical. "So, people might dismiss your actions as a personal vendetta, rather than an official investigation for the United Systems. Do you really think that Saren will fall for it? After all, he _knows_ he was on Eden Prime. "

"Oh, it won't fool Saren for a second. But it might stop other people from contacting him right away. It isn't much, but we need every second we can get."

"And in that spirit, let's get moving," Udina said. "I have pushed through the paperwork that has the lot of you detached to embassy security for the duration of your stay on the Citadel. That means you're allowed to carry weapons from now on. However, I would not advise you to walk around carrying sidearms openly. C-Sec would start to follow you wherever you went. Fortunately, we have a Mr Harkin on staff who can provide you with smaller alternatives. Unfortunately, we'll have to come up with a story to tell him as to why you need these guns."

Captain Anderson's eyes narrowed slightly. "Why?"

"Remember what I said about one of my security people probably taking bribes?"

"This Harkin?"

"Yes. A snake. A useful one, but still a snake. He's made a lot of useful contacts in the local underworld, humans and aliens alike, but unfortunately, they seem to be rubbing off on him."

"So," Anderson asked, 'What do we tell him?"

Shepard smiled without humour. "The batarians. Some of them still come to this place, right? Even after they withdrew their representative."

Udina nodded.

"Then there is a potential security issue. The Butcher of Torfan is on the station. They might take a shot at me or anyone around me."

"Yes, that might work. Even if he doesn't believe it, it doesn't matter all that much, as long as he doesn't suspect the truth."

"Then let's go with that. Guns for myself and Captain Anderson, obviously, as well as Lieutenant Alenko and Chief Williams." Shepard considered for a moment. "I suggest we bring Estanza and Jin into it as well. I already briefed them on the need for discretion. If Captain Anderson is going to make waves about Saren, he might need some backup of his own."

Captain Anderson nodded. "Agreed."

"And so, I have more paperwork," Udina muttered. "In any case, I recommend you both start moving. The clock is ticking."

 **-o-o-o-**

"Commander Shepard herself. This is an honour"

"Yes, that's just what the batarians said," Shepard retorted.

"Haha. Yes, I'm sure they did. Anyway, I understand that you need some hardware." Harkin smiled. "Don't worry. We've got just what you need."

He opened a large wall safe, more of a walk-in closet actually, and took out a gun.

"This one's probably the easiest option. Compact version of your standard side-arm. Semi-automatic only, but all the controls are in the same place and it'll fit in a coat pocket."

"Looks good." She weighed the weapon. The balance was a bit off, compared to the heavier marine sidearm with its longer barrel, but the grip and the action felt familiar. "Yes, this will work."

"Great. I can supply them for all of your people, so nobody has to walk around naked."

"Good."

"Tell me, Commander," Harkin hesitated a little. "Does this happen often? You know, that you have to protect yourself against alien revenge?"

"It happens. Why?"

"Well," Harkin hesitated again. "It's just that if you were planning on being a little more, you know, proactive, then there is another option."

"Really?" She considered for a second. Clearly, Harkin had his suspicions about her real need for weapons. Then again, one could never have too much firepower, so, if he had some extra options... "What kind of options?"

Harkin smiled, clearly happy to see that his suspicions were not unfounded. He walked back to the safe and took out another weapon, smaller than the first.

"Disposables. Completely sealed, no outside controls other than the trigger. Guaranteed water and dirt proof."

"Uhuh," Shepard took a look at the compact but ugly weapon, which wasn't much more than a lump of plastic. "Caliber seems a bit small."

"Doesn't matter. They use split-tip bullets that expand like you wouldn't believe. Trust me. They could take out a krogan. They're very popular with hitmen, 'cause you just throw them away after a hit. Nobody wants to do that with a gun they're attached to, you know?"

Shepard looked up. "Doesn't it bring down the local cops? We're the only ones that use chemically powered guns. Must be pretty easy to trace."

Harkin grinned. "Not anymore. A lot of the aliens love our guns. They're cheaper. Plus, they don't have a power source. You'd figure cops would have caught on to that by now, but three quarters of the security check points in Citadel space still rely on energy signatures to check for weapons." Harkin snorted. "Dumb freaks. Anyway, now that the market's more open, you'll find guns like these everywhere."

 _And you're probably the one selling them._ Udina had been quite accurate when describing Harkin. If anything, he'd probably understated the case. Still, if Harkin really had underworld contacts, that might be useful. If someone did try to interfere with their investigation it would be useful to know where the bullets would be coming from.

"Tell me, Harkin, if someone on the Citadel were to look for some hired muscle; you know, to do a little wetwork, like taking out a human that's pissed them off, where would they go looking?"

Harkin considered for a moment. "Well, it depends, really. There are a couple of really high-end freelance operatives around, but they tend to work alone. You got to find them personally, which takes a lot of time. Then there are the merc companies, of course. Bloodpack, Eclipse, and Blue Suns are the biggest. But Bloodpack cannot do covert jobs, krogan and vorcha stand out too much. If they try to get on the Citadel, C-Sec will probably arrest them just on general principle. The other two are a bit more subtle, and they have some good people, but they tend to stay out of Citadel Space as well. Not enough profit to risk pissing off the Council or some of the big governments. A smaller company might be willing to take a job here if the money were good enough, but you'd have to find a way to get them here without tipping off C-Sec and that might take a while. Now, if all you need is some dumb muscle that doesn't ask questions and knows which end of the gun the bullets come out off, then I'd say 'check out the local underworld here.' A guy named Fist would be your best bet."

"Fist?"

"Yes. Trust a human to rise to the top, even here on the Citadel. He owns a club called Chora's Den. Great place. He's got some lovely dancers, blue or human, whichever you prefer. But, that's just the front. Fist's got his fist in everything," Harkin chortled at his own joke. "He could definitely supply a few hitmen. Not really quality, of course, and if someone hires them to have a go at you, they'll be in for a nasty surprise, but I guess some dumbass batarian might give it a try."

"Of course." Shepard did her best to match Harkin's rather oily smile. "You know what? I think I'll take one of each. One for official use and the other just in case. Like you said, perhaps I need to become proactive."

Harkin's smile grew even more, if that were possible.

"Incidentally," he said. "If you should need some cleanup done, you know, if you ever have to defend yourself. That isn't difficult to arrange."

"That's good to know," Shepard said. "I"ll keep that in mind."

 **!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!**

 _A/N_

 _I'm trying to keep a higher tempo for my updates, because it had been very slow lately, but I won't be able to keep this up forever. This chapter contains a lot of_ _backstory, which is why I could produce it so quickly. Most of this was already written._

 _Obviously, no humans in C-sec in this universe, but Harkin is still a useful character. The disposable guns are actually from Alien Resurrection. They are barely mentioned in the movie but get more exposition in the novelization, which I'm partially quoting here._


	11. Contacts

**Mass Effect is the intellectual property of Bioware and EA. The AVP franchise belongs to 20th Century Fox.**

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 **Council Chambers, The Presidium**

As a rule, members of the Citadel Council didn't have a great deal of spare time, so it was almost impossible to arrange a quick meeting between all three of them. In this case, they hadn't even tried. It was just the asari and the turian councillors that met. The salarian councillor, Valern, would be briefed later.

"Any news?" The flanged turian voice had a strange undertone, indicating a considerable amount of stress.

Tevos shrugged. "Not really. The human ambassador has filed an official protest, complaining that our intended fleet deployment in the Demilitarized Zone is an 'unwarranted provocation' that 'needlessly increases tension' and could lead to 'shooting incidents' between turian and human forces."

"As expected."

"Yes. Sparatus-"

"I know, I know. We're taking a gamble. Don't worry. General Corinthus has strict orders not to engage the human fleet unless they try to move into Citadel Space. As long as they stay where they are, he will observe them from a distance. If they move toward the Traverse or the Terminus, he will shadow them. Again, from a distance. In any case, that's not what I meant. Have the humans released any more information about Nihlus?"

"No."

"I was afraid of that." Sparatus stared out of the window. "There is something wrong there, Tevos. If there had been an incident, Udina would be playing it up to distract us from the loss of the beacon. And if Nihlus was simply killed by the geth, why not give us a full report?"

"Because they're feeling contrary?" Tevos asked. "Seriously though, I agree there is something going on, whether it's related to Nihlus, or not. I met Sha'ira at a dinner party, last night. She told me that she's invited Commander Shepard to meet with her."

Sparatus turned around. "Well, congratulations to Commander Shepard. Within three days of arrival? That has to be something of a record. But why would that concern us?"

"Think about it. Even if Sha'ira found the Butcher of Torfan so fascinating that she goes out of her way to arrange a meeting, why would she make a point of telling me? No, there is something going on. And there is more. According to Valern's sources, Captain Anderson is meeting with Barla Von today. Now, he is not involved in trade negotiations and unless the pay scale for human officers has changed drastically, he's not looking for financial advice on that level for personal investments. So, this has to be related to Von's other activities."

Sparatus nodded. "So, we have a Spectre killed under mysterious circumstances. We have a human officer suddenly meeting with the consort and another seeking access to the Shadow Broker, both of them within days of their arrival. Anderson has had trouble with a Spectre before. Do you think it is related?"

"You mean that incident with Saren? That was years ago, and the humans have not brought it up since then. If that's what it's about, Anderson is probably acting on his own. And that would not explain Sha'ira's meeting with Shepard."

"Shepard is Anderson's second in command," Sparatus countered. "Or was, until they arrived at the Citadel. With Anderson assigned to their embassy, Shepard may inherit his command. Or the humans may bring in a new commanding officer for their frigate. In any case, if Anderson needed help investigating something, who better to ask than his direct subordinate? Especially if something happened on Eden Prime between Nihlus and Shepard. Shepard may now have a grudge of her own against Spectres. Or Anderson may have something to compel Shepard to cooperate with him, even if his actions are not sanctioned by their government. Shepard has never been on the Citadel, but Anderson has. He certainly knows about Sha'ira and the contacts she has, so getting to her would be a good move if he wants to get back at Saren. As to Sha'ira's motives, who can tell?" He sighed. "I feel a headache coming up. It's bad enough when humans are acting together to make our lives difficult. When they start going off on their own, it's even worse."

"I agree," Tevos said. "But what do we do about it? Sooner or later, the situation will explode-"

"-Literally, if past experience with humans is anything to go by."

"Indeed. We need to get ahead of this. We cannot be blindsided. Torfan was bad enough. If we get caught off guard, again, the consequences could be far-reaching."

"So, we need to keep an eye on them. Do you think Sha'ira will be willing to keep you informed of her dealings with Shepard?"

Tevos shrugged. "Like you said, with Sha'ira, who knows? But I think that in this case, she will. That's probably why she made sure I knew what was going on."

"Good, that gives us a way of checking on their activities. Meanwhile, I'll contact C-Sec and see if I can arrange for some surveillance."

"C-Sec?" Tevos looked concerned. "You know Executor Palin's attitude toward humans. That will colour his judgement. The last thing we need is an incident here on the Citadel."

"So, we'll leave Palin out of it, or, as much as we can. I'll tell him that I need one of his detectives for a little side-job. He won't like it, but he won't get in the way either. Especially, if I request this particular detective." Sparatus smirked a little. "Palin might even thank me for getting Vakarian out of the way for a while."

"I see. And this officer...?"

"Vakarian."

"Yes. Can he be trusted?"

"To do as he's told? No. To do the right thing, or at least what he considers the right thing? Yes. His father is an old friend and he doesn't have a problem with humans as far as I'm aware. And he hates bureaucracy, which makes him a good candidate for a little off-the-record assignment. My only worry is that he's going to be prejudiced in the other direction. He and Shepard have a few things in common."

 **-0-0-0-**

 **Consort's Chambers, The Presidium**

Her first impression triggered a strong sense of disappointment. _So, this is what an asari whorehouse looks like from the inside. It looks... boring._  
In fact, the outer room that Shepard saw as she walked in could best be described as a cross between a dentist's waiting room and a cocktail party. People of various species were scattered around the room, standing or sitting on couches while a group of asari maidens moved between them, serving drinks and engaging them in conversation.

"Can I help you?" A young asari in the 'not quite tacky, but still somewhat revealing' outfit that seemed to be the standard dress code was standing at what in a restaurant would have been the hostess' desk.

"My name is Shepard, I believe I'm expected."

The hostess' eyes widened slightly. She nodded. "Of course, Commander Shepard. The consort is expecting you. She has looked forward to making your acquaintance."

"Really?" Shepard looked over the room again. "Tell me, does this consort have a lot of enemies?"

The asari looked shocked. "Of course not! She is highly respected, not only on the Citadel but in all of Citadel Space. What makes you think-"

"When people are eager to make my acquaintance, it usually means they want me to shoot somebody. I was just wondering what kind of body count she had in mind."

"I can assure you-"

A small buzzer sounded, distracting her from whatever she would have said. Instead, she activated a communicator and spoke a few words in a hushed tone.

"Commander Shepard, the consort can see you, right now. Please go to the end of the room and take the last door on the left."

"Excellent." As the Commander moved on, she could hear the asari behind her, talking rapidly into her communicator.

 **-0-0-0-**

 **Near the Presidium lake**

"This is pointless." Chief Williams muttered as she walked along the Presidium lake.

"Pointless?" Lieutenant Alenko looked up. "Just think of it as standing guard, or walking a patrol. It may be boring, but it has to be done."

"I know. But this is worse than normal. Everything's bland. It's like this whole place has been designed like a nursery. Everything's smooth, all curves, no angles, and it all looks the same. "No, I take that back. It's worse than a nursery. It's like one of those places where they put psychos. Nothing that stands out, so it won't trigger an episode; and nothing sharp, so even if they go crazy they cannot hurt themselves."

"Yes, I can see the similarity. Still, I bet you didn't see this type of crowd anywhere else you were posted."

Williams looked around. "The aliens? We had quite a few on Eden Prime. Come to slum it with the humans. I swear someone is selling adventure trips to human space for them. 'Come to adventurous Eden Prime. See humans in their native environment and gape at their quaint, primitive customs'. They should keep doing that. Let them all see xenomorphs in their native environment too."

"Easy, Chief. You might want to check what you're saying out loud."

"Sorry, sir. It's just.. what exactly are we supposed to be doing here?"

"Other than keeping up appearances that we're just playing tourist? I guess we're the backup. If either the captain or the commander needs help, we can be there a lot quicker than if we had to come all the way from the embassy." He shrugged. "To be honest, I don't see much danger around here, other than getting up-sold on something by an aggressive hanar salesperson, but having back-up never hurts. Anyway, would you rather sit around in the embassy?"

"I suppose not. I just wish we could actually get something done. We're wasting time, while-" She stopped. Lieutenant Alenko had fallen behind.

"Lieutenant?"

Alenko had stopped near the Relay Statue.

"Lieutenant?"

He looked up.

"Everything alright, sir?"

"Yes. Yes, I'm fine. It's nothing."

Before Williams could inquire further, his comm unit buzzed.

"Alenko? Captain Anderson. I finished my meeting. Has Shepard come out yet?"

"No, sir."

"Alright. Let me know, as soon as she's back. I have a lead."

 **-0-0-0-**

 **Consort's Chambers**

"Commander Shepard. I am Sha'ira. I'm so glad you could make time to visit me on such short notice." Estimating an asari's age was difficult, but even to Shepard's inexperienced eye, it was clear that the consort was considerably older than the other asari in the establishment. Her face was sharper, with a more defined bone-structure and her dress showed off the more pronounced curves that asari developed when they entered the matron stage. "Though it really was too bad of you to scare poor Nelyna."

"Nelyna? Oh, the girl at the reception."

"Yes. She was quite shocked by your comments. I fear she believes you to be a quite dangerous individual. Tell me commander, am I in danger?"

Shepard considered for a moment, looking around the room. Then she said, "A human once wrote that every person is surrounded by danger because they themselves are all dangerous in their own way." Her lips twitched. "Right here and now? Well, we're about three meters apart. I can close the distance before you can pull a weapon or power-up biotics. So, it would come down to a wrestling match. If you fancy your chances at that, by all means, give it a try, but," She jerked her head in the direction of the large bed that stood in one corner of the room. "You might want to move closer to the bed. It would probably make for a softer landing."

"Oh, absolutely." The consort smiled and there was a slight mocking edge to her tone. "But you can rest assured that I have no intention of using either a weapon or biotics. Tell me, am I such a frightening figure, Commander? Or do people attack you so often, that it's simply the first thing that comes to mind?"

Shepard shrugged. "I have a few enemies. When I receive an invitation from a stranger I get suspicious."

"And yet, you came."

"I was curious. I wanted to know what kind of person hears the words 'Butcher of Torfan' and decides that she just has to meet that individual."

"Oh, that is not so surprising, Commander." The consort smiled again. "Should anyone ask, other than satisfying a natural curiosity I simply wished to express my gratitude."

"Gratitude?"

"Oh, yes. You see, it wasn't just human slaves you liberated on Torfan, Commander, as I'm sure you remember. There were quite a few non-humans as well. Do you know how many of them were asari?"

"About two-thirds of them, if I remember correctly. Figure six-hundred."

"Exactly. You never came here, Commander, so you didn't see it happening. But I can assure you that in the weeks afterwards human soldiers found themselves very welcome in the bars and clubs of the Citadel. Even in places that had previously been closed to them. Some of them even took advantage of that sentiment and enjoyed some, 'cultural exchange' one might say, on a personal level. Even today, that sentiment lingers."

"Because of six-hundred freed asari slaves. Out of how many?"

"I'm sorry?"

"How many? How many asari slaves in the galaxy? Hundreds of thousands? Millions?"

The consort nodded, her eyes narrowing slightly as she looked at Shepard. "Between the Hegemony and the Terminus systems, absolutely. More, if we count the indentured workers on Ilium. Six-hundred seems like a small number when you look at it like that. But six-hundred is better than none, Commander. And I can assure you that to those six-hundred, and their families, it made a great deal of difference."

"I'm sure it did." Shepard nodded. "Just like it made a big difference to five-thousand humans and their families; well, what was left of those families, after the Blitz. Tell me, do you know how many human slaves were taken in the first place?"

"I'm afraid, I don't. I don't think that information was ever released."

"No, it wasn't, and with good reason." Shepard stopped herself. _Bad call. Five seconds alone with her and you're about to spill secrets._ "But never mind about the past. Now that we've established what I should say if anyone inquires as to your motives. Tell me, Sha'ira, why am I here?"

"Other than my desire to express my personal gratitude? It has come to my attention that I might be able to help you with a small problem you seem to have."

"A problem?"

"Yes. I understand that you may need to communicate certain things to people in high offices; communicate discretely. I might be able to facilitate that."

"Is that so?" Shepard managed to keep her face impassive, but she had the uncomfortable feeling that the asari could pretty much read her thoughts anyway.

"Oh, yes. I provide many services to all manner people, Commander. Comfort and council that is sought by many. And when I call and ask for a small favour, such people are often quite willing to give it. Especially, if all I need is a few moments of their time."

"Access to those with power." Shepard nodded. "That can be valuable indeed. So, tell me, why would you exercise that kind of influence on my behalf."

The consort had closed the distance as they talked and was now standing right in front of her.

"As I said, Commander, you have earned some gratitude, as have some of the people that you're working with. Besides, I was hoping that you could do me a small favour."

Shepard forced herself to remain relaxed. She had not been lying completely when she said that she was expecting an ambush. Now she had the uncomfortable feeling that the trap had already been sprung. "Go on."

"I have a small situation with a friend of mine that I think you could help me solve."

"A friend."

"Yes. A turian general named Oraka. The name might be familiar to you. He served in what you call the First Contact War."

Shepard nodded. "I've heard the name. I don't know if it's a common name among turians, but-"

"It's the same person. General Oraka commanded the turian fleet when your people counter attacked at your colony of Shanxi. I'm afraid he never fully recovered from the loss of so many of his soldiers. I was able to be of some comfort to him. Unfortunately, that has created a 'dependency' you might say. He wants something more than I can give, and when I made that clear to him, he became angry." She hesitated for a moment, then continued. "Since then, he has been brooding and in his anger, he has started to spread rumours about me. That I have broken the confidence of people that spoke to me in private. That I have been selling those secrets to the highest bidder. In particular, that I have been the source of rumours about a diplomat here on the Citadel."

"I thought you said he was a friend," Shepard observed. "This doesn't sound like the actions of a friend."

The consort sighed. "I blame myself. I should have been more careful and not raised expectations that I cannot possibly fulfil. However, that doesn't change the fact that I cannot let this situation continue."

"So you want me to make him stop. By any means necessary?"

Shepard had trouble stifling a grin as the consort seemed shocked for the first time. "Nothing like that, Commander! Goddess, no. I wouldn't think of it. I simply thought that you could talk to him, one soldier to another."

"You want me to talk. I would think that a human would be the last person he would listen to."

"You underestimate him, Commander. He doesn't blame you, or your people for what happened. Quite to the contrary. No, he blames himself, and that has been slowly destroying him for years. He spends most of his time in a bar in the Wards, drinking to forget."

"I see." Shepard nodded. "And you want me to have a talk with him. Fair enough. But I thought we were supposed to be discrete. If I'm seen about the station, running your errands, I suspect people would take note and wonder what was going on."

The consort was now standing so close that Shepard could feel her breath when she spoke.

"Trust me, Commander, there is nothing out of the ordinary about me asking someone to perform a service for me. Or for that person to be eager to do so. My gratitude is thought to be quite valuable. Besides, it will give you a reason to visit me again."

"So I can tell you all about it and impress you with my prowess?"

"Something like that. I'm so glad we understand each other, Commander."

 **-0-0-0-**

 **Human Embassy, the Presidium**

"This guy Fist keeps popping up," Shepard said when captain Anderson finished. "Harkin named him as a major player in the underworld, the consort sent me to his club to talk to that turian general, and now I understand he is involved with both the Shadow Broker _and_ Saren."

"Yes, the coincidences just keep piling up, don't they? According to Von, Fist was the Shadow Broker's main agent in the Citadel underworld, just like Von himself is the main contact in the legitimate business world."

"Which makes his information suspect, to say the least," Ambassador Udina broke into the conversation. "Fist's connection to the Shadow Broker is a public secret on the Citadel, but the idea that he betrayed him... With that kind of low-life, it's not impossible, but it seems short-sighted. We may be looking at an internal power struggle. Von may be trying to eliminate Fist to make himself more important within the broker's network."

Anderson nodded. "True. But whether Fist really has screwed over the Shadow Broker or not, we definitely need to talk to him, and quickly too. Von told me that the Shadow Broker has a krogan bounty hunter on a retainer, who is now going after Fist. If that's true, time is running out. Commander, I suggest that you pay a visit to this club. If you can get to Fist, great. You may be able to make a deal with him for information, especially if he feels he needs more protection than his thugs can offer. But at least take a look at the situation, see how we can get in if we have to. Meanwhile, I'll talk to my acquaintance again. We have to know more about the consort before we trust her with any sensitive information."

Shepard snorted. "An interesting question. Especially when she has admitted that she's being accused of breaking confidentiality."

"Indeed." Undina nodded. "That might well have been a ploy to gain your trust and explain away those rumours before you heard them from another source. In any case, we may actually have caught a break here. If Saren has suborned one of the broker's agents, or even if that is just what the broker believes, he may cut Saren off. That means that your conversation with Barla Von may never reach Saren, Anderson. We may have a little more time than we thought."

 **!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-**

 _A/N Still on an accelerated schedule. No promises, but I think I can do a few more chapters before the new academic year begins and I have to slow down again.  
_


	12. Chora's Den

**Mass Effect is the intellectual property of Bioware and EA. The AvP franchise belongs to 20th Century Fox.**

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 **The Citadel, Lower Wards**

The Citadel Rapid Transit System seemed typical of everything on the Citadel. It was slick, high-tech, and, to human perception, insanely over-engineered. Instead of having a high capacity public transport system where you crammed as many people in a vehicle as possible and made them change vehicles multiple times to reach their destination, it consisted of unmanned air-car taxis that provided a point to point personal transportation between stops. It was comfortable, fast, and utterly inefficient. Fortunately, it was government sponsored, so the end-users didn't have to bear the full cost.

The automated taxi came to a stop and Shepard and her two companions got out.

"Well, this is it." Shepard looked around. "Huh, looks like this is where they ran out of money."  
The decor had certainly changed. Where everything on the Presidium was smooth and shiny, the Wards looked positively utilitarian and somewhat rundown.  
"The club of this guy Fist is supposed to be right around the corner."

"Who calls himself Fist anyway?" Williams asked

"Someone who gets intimate with his own fist on a regular basis I suspect."

"You think we can get to this Fist character?" Alenko asked.

"Without shooting our way through his guards? I doubt it. I'm hardly an expert, but I doubt a crime boss will be all that eager to talk to visitors. Especially a crime boss who has just turned on his own boss. Perhaps he'll be willing to talk if we warn him about that krogan. Anyway, we can try. If it doesn't work, I'll take a stab at talking to that turian ex-general."

"Running errands for asari hookers," Williams grumbled. "I don't remember that being on any Marine recruitment posters."

"A geisha, not a hooker, or so Udina told me. And highly respected, according to her receptionist." Shepard shrugged. "Who am I to judge? I'd look damn silly lecturing people on ethics. She gave us a reason to walk into this Chora's Den place. Perhaps that was just a coincidence, but I doubt it. Anyway, let's get going."

 **-0-0-0-**

 **Chora's Den**

Many things might be strange or alien on the Citadel, but Chora's Den certainly wasn't. In fact, you could have walked into any strip club on Earth and found pretty much the same decor. In the middle of the club was a huge, circular bar, behind which several bartenders seemed to be working non-stop. The elevated centre of the bar doubled as a stage and an asari clad in what could best be described as a combination of a one-piece swimsuit and stockings was twirling around a pole. Other asari, as well as human women in similar outfits, were moving around the club, serving drinks and performing on smaller stages inside booths along the wall, where most of the clientele was sitting.

Shepard smiled. "Now, this looks familiar. Not sure why we ever thought we'd need a clever excuse to walk in here. I bet every Marine that ever passed through the Citadel has been to this place.

"This is really sad," Williams said. "A man travels a thousand light years to an alien station and what does he do? He starts a strip joint. I wonder if there is a comment on human nature in that."

"What, you don't think he's a cosmopolitan who wants to promote human culture to the aliens?" Shepard smirked. "Some things never change, Chief. Sex sells and not just to humans apparently." She looked around. Whatever Fist's motivations might have been, the clientele was a living advertisement for cosmopolitan multiculturalism. There were humans, turians, asari, and even a handful of salarians scattered around the club. "Everybody seems to be having a good time. Except..." She peered into the half-dark back of the club. Two krogan were standing pretty much nose to nose near a door in the back of the establishment. One of them, who was clearly working for the club, probably as a bouncer, was blocking the way of the other.

"Get lost. Fist isn't seeing anyone."

The other, who was covered head to toe in heavy-looking red body armour, tapped the bouncer in the chest with a massive claw.

"He can't stay in there forever. Tell Fist he might as well come out now. It'll be quicker that way," He growled, then turned around and stalked off, a process that resembled nothing as much as a battle tank rolling through a city.  
Shepard wisely stepped aside. "So much for warning Fist," She mused as the krogan moved past them. "Well, I guess at least we know who stood model for that statue in the Presidum Lake. They really got him right, including the attitude." She looked around. "Okay, I'll try to talk my way past the bouncer. You two, go over to the bar and see what you can find out about this place. And check for any stray turian generals while you're at it."

 **-o-o-o-**

About five minutes later, the three of them were back at the bar.

"Now that was a waste of time," Shepard remarked as she picked up her drink. Getting past the bouncer had proved impossible and a quick question to the girl behind the bar had confirmed it. Fist wasn't seeing anyone. In fact, he hadn't been seen on the floor of the club since the day before. "This Fist guy is seriously spooked. So, if we cannot get to Fist before the krogan gets him. Perhaps we should take another approach. Let's talk to the krogan before he gets to Fist."

"You think you can persuade him not to kill Fist?" Alenko looked doubtful.

Shepard shrugged. "To be honest, I don't really care what he does to Fist, as long as I get to ask Fist a few questions before he does it. Anyway, that's enough about that. Did you find that turian general?"

Alenko nodded. "He's in one of the booths. I've got to warn you, though, ma'am. He's about halfway through a bottle of brandy, and he doesn't look happy."

"Right. Well, no time like the present."

Shepard moved through the club to the spot Alenko had indicated. General Oraka wasn't hard to identify. There were a few turians in the room, but only one of them seemed more interested in the contents of his glass than in the dancers.

"General Oraka?"

He looked up. "Who wants to know?"

"I'm Shepard." Without waiting to be asked, she sat down across from him.

"Ah, yes, Lieutenant-" The general's eyes focussed on her uniform. "Forgive me, _Commander_ Shepard. I heard a rumour that you were on the station. This is indeed an honour. I would offer you a drink, but I'm afraid turian liquor wouldn't be good for you constitution.

Shepard held up her glass. "I've got my own."

"Well, then," The turian poured himself another drink, lifted the glass and emptied it in a single gulp. "Here is to you, Commander, and to your great victory!"

"My great victory?" Shepard slowly leant back in her chair. "Ah, yes. That victory. I keep forgetting about it."

"Well, aren't we a strange pair, then. A defeated general who cannot forget his defeat, and a victorious commander, who cannot remember her victory. So, tell me, Commander. What is it that a disgraced old general can do for you?"

"I believe we have a mutual acquaintance."

"Really?"

"Yes, blue skin, soft voice; good at getting people to talk about subjects they wish to avoid, always seems to be one step ahead of you. Sounds familiar?"

The general nodded almost imperceptibly. "Yes. yes, it does."

"She seems to be under the impression that you started certain rumours about her."

Oraka looked at her. "And what if I did?"

"Well, obviously, she would like you to stop. And she figured that I was the right person to talk to you. The military connection, you see. I wasn't too sure about it. Sending a human to talk to a turian, especially a turian that fought in the First Contact War, seemed to be, eh, less than diplomatic."

Oraka laughed, or at least that was how Shepard interpreted the sound, remembering her conversation with Nihlus Kryik. "And since when is the Butcher of Torfan worried about diplomatic niceties."

Shepard groaned. "One day I'm going to find the person who came up with that name. And they're not going to be happy."

"You don't like it?"

"Nicknames can have their uses." Shepard shrugged. "People tend to do as their told when they hear it. Doesn't mean I enjoy being reminded of the fact that Torfan was a slaughterhouse and not just for the batarians and their friends."

Oraka nodded in the stiff turian fashion. "Yes, battles can be like that. No need to tell me. I know. I know all too well. I suppose that's why she sends you. Two people that have both passed through the inferno understand each other. Tell me, Commander: When you close your eyes, do you seem them?"

"The batarians?"

The turian made a weird snorting noise, that Shepard recognized as laughter, even before her translation implant caught up.. "Hardly. If they bothered you, you wouldn't still be walking around in uniform. No, your own people, the ones you lost on Torfan."

"Oh, them." Shepard stared into the distance, hearing her own voice from a long distance away.

 _"Major Kyle has the only uplink to the fleet, and I cannot even reach him."_

 _"What now, Lieutenant?"_

 _"We have to press on."_

 _"But, ma'am-"_

 _"We cannot stay here, Sergeant. If we give them time to regroup, we're all dead."_

 _"God help us."_

Even now she could feel it. The sense of inevitability.

 _"Don't bring God into it, Sergeant. Trust me, He wants no part of what comes next."_

Five minutes later, Sergeant McInnes had died, caught in the blaze of a flamethrower.

"Yes, I see them sometimes."

"I'm not surprised, Commander. And it's been what? Five years? And still, you see them. Trust me on this, that will never stop. Five years, or fifty. You'll still see them and hear them. So tell me, how would you feel if you met someone, the one person in the entire galaxy, who could make you stop seeing them. Who can make their voices go silent? Someone who can finally give you peace, even if it's only for a moment. And then, you cannot keep hold of her. You have to watch her leave. How would you feel? What would you do?"

For a moment they both sat their, in silence, except for the music of the club.

"I cannot speak for others, General Oraka. But as for me, I prefer to keep my anger bottled up and wait until my bosses find something for me to kill." Shepard shrugged. "Besides, I suppose I've learned to live with my ghosts. I might even start to feel lonely if they left me. But that's just me and I'm probably not the best person to go to for counselling. Still, rumour mongering? You're a soldier for God's sake. Not a tabloid reporter."

"A soldier? Not for a long time, Commander."

"Once a soldier, always a soldier. At least that's what my family used to tell me."

"A military tradition?"

"Very much so. And, no, none of them were at Shanxi. Something they're all regretting to this very day."

"Well, you made up for their lack of actual combat experience. Your family must be very proud."

"Proud? Please, general. The Shepards are an old and distinguished military family. In their view of military life, there is no place for bloodthirsty thugs like me; only for honourable soldiers, who stand tall and proud, ready to do their sacred duty. No, in my family, I'm the cousin that nobody wants to talk about."

"Ah? I see." Reading turian expressions was almost impossible for a human, but Oraka actually seemed to understand. "Unfortunately, warfare can be somewhat less clean and orderly than we would wish it to be. But you can't tell anyone that. They have to experience it for themselves. I found out at Shanxi, you found out at Torfan. Perhaps, one day your family will find out as well."

"Perhaps." Shepard leant forward. "But this isn't about me. You're angry about the past. Fair enough. For what it's worth, I do understand the anger. I just don't think you picked the right target."

"Perhaps not," Oraka said. "But it did make me feel better." He slowly shook his head. "But not for long. And I can't say that drinking helps. Perhaps you're right, Commander."

He filled his glass again.

"Here's to soldiers being soldiers."

They both drank.

 ** **-0-0-0-****

 **Outside Chora's Den**

As they left the bar, something caught Shepard's eye.

"Heads up, two-o'clock," She muttered. In itself, there was no reason to expect trouble, but then again, there was really no reason for a couple of turians to simply stand around on a corner halfway between Chora's Denn and the Rapid Transit stop where they would have a perfect view of both locations.

"It's them!"

And with that brilliant observation, the turians opened fire. Unfortunately for them, they had chosen their position with less than perfect tactical sense. Although it allowed to both watch the exit of Chora's Den and the Rapid Transit stop at the same time, the architecture of the station also forced them to shoot over the chest-high barrier that kept people from falling off the walkway and onto the level below. One of the things about giant space stations that last for tens of thousands of years is that they tend to be built pretty sturdily and this was no exception. The plates that made up the barrier had clearly been designed to stop individuals of all species from breaking through and did a good job of stopping incoming mass effect fire as well, making them the perfect barrier to hide behind.

"Alright, they want to do this the hard way." Shepard risked a quick glance over the barrier, then ducked back as more mass effect rounds zipped by overhead. "One moving up, the other is hanging back. I'll cut him off. Wiliams, cover fire; Alenko, get ready to blast something."

Shepard crawled forward behind the barrier, all the while wishing she was back in combat armour and holding a nice big assault rifle. The compact pistol that Harkin had provided wasn't bad, but compared to military grade weaponry it felt like a toy. Behind her, she heard the familiar bark of a chemically powered gun as Williams sent a few rounds in the general direction of the enemy.  
Whoever that enemy was, they weren't particularly good. The one at the back was way too fond of shooting, sending rounds all over the place, which was not a good idea with a weapon that would overheat after a dozen shots. Even as the thought occurred to her, the incoming fire ceased. Now the only noise what that of a turian scuffling along, trying to outflank her. _Not today my friend._

Shepard rolled out from behind the barrier, staying flat on the ground as she moved, surprising her opponent, who was aiming too high. _Always the same with the birdfaces. They keep forgetting that some people are just more flexible than others._ The turian only got one shot off, which passed harmlessly overhead. Shepard fired once, twice, both hits slamming into his face, where she could be sure he wasn't protected by anything more than natural armour; armour, which just hadn't evolved to stand up to small arms fire. Even as the turian slumped down on the floor, she heard a scream. The second attacker, who was supposed to provide covering fire but had been too busy changing the thermal clip on his gun collapsed, his entire body covered in a blue sheen. Shepard raised her gun, but there was no need for a finishing shot, as Williams pumped three rounds into the target.

As quickly as it had started, the engagement was over.

"Well," Shepard said. "That escalated quickly."

"I thought Saren and this Shadow Broker had fallen out," Alenko said. "So how did word get out so quickly?"

"It was sloppy. He should have been able to do better than this. A couple of street thugs, seriously?"

"It had to be done at short notice," Alenko said. "I doubt that high-class assassins can be found so quickly, so perhaps they were just making do with what they could find."

"Perhaps. But then why do it at all? It's a waste of time and effort, and it puts us on guard. Ah well, one more question to ask Saren when I catch up with him. Right before I ask him in which eye he wants the bullet. Unless..." Shepard paused. "What if Saren wasn't even involved? Like you said, Saren and the Broker aren't supposed to be talking anymore and even if the Shadow broker is still talking to him, he wouldn't have had much time. Even if he has access to a real-time link with the Citadel, wherever he is, we've only been here a few days, and the first time we even dropped his name was a few hours ago. That's awfully quick to set up any kind of ambush, especially since he has to do it by remote. Who else would benefit from our early demise and has access to small-time gunslingers?"

"This Fist character?"

"That's what I'm thinking. If he really works for Saren, he might have decided to preempt and then tell his boss about the good news. Or he is so paranoid about pissing off the Shadow Broker that he panicked. That's actually more likely. I suspect Fist was thinking something along the lines of 'of all the clubs in the Citadel, they had to walk into mine', concluded that it wasn't a coincidence and decided to eliminate a potential threat. And he used turians to deflect attention. People might think it was related to Torfan or just general anti-human sentiment. The timing makes more sense too. They were probably hanging around the club. All Fist had to do was call them and give them our description."

"So, what do we do next?"

Shepard considered for a moment. "An interesting question. If we contact C-Sec, we will end up spending a lot of time filling out forms and answering questions. We might even end up under house arrest in the embassy, which we can't afford. On the other hand, if we don't contact them, and they find these bodies, we'll be in even bigger trouble. Then again-" She took out of her communicator. "Embassy? This is Shepard. I need to speak to Mr Harkin, urgently." She looked at her companions. "Just drag these two out of sight. I'll arrange for disposal."

 **-0-0-0-**

One of the advantages of using aircars everywhere was that transport could be very quick indeed. Within minutes a large, unmarked vehicle arrived and landed at the Rapid Transit platform.

"Commander Shepard, I'm impressed. I hadn't thought you'd be needing my service this quickly." Hakin looked at the two corpses. "I see your worries turned out to be pretty accurate."

"A minor problem." Shepard shrugged. "To be honest, I'm not even sure if this was a hit or just a robbery. Either way, I really don't want to spend the next couple of hours explaining to some C-Sec officer why I had to gun down a couple of turians. And since you said you could arrange this kind of thing, I figured-"

"That you could save yourself from a lot of red tape. I fully understand, Commander." Harkin looked over his shoulder. "Come on boys, we've got to move some meat." He grinned. "Don't worry, Commander. Garbage disposal on this station is very efficient. A little extra dextro-protein won't clog up the system one bit."

 **-0-0-0-**

Within a very short time, the two turian bodies had been loaded up and the van departed. Leaving Shepard and her two companions to board one of the automated taxis. As the Rapid Transit System vehicle left, a figure emerged from the shadows.

 _Sparatus was right. There is something going on._ Garrus Vakarian stared after the departing air car. This assignment was getting very complicated. He'd hoped to be able to reach Chora's Den ahead of Shepard's party, but the timing hadn't worked out and entering after her and then follow her out again would have been too risky. Instead, he'd waited for her group to come out only to have a ringside seat to this pathetic attempt at an assassination. That had been interesting to watch. Unfortunately, he had been too far away to pick up the conversation. He had a recording, though, and human lips, like an asari's, could be read either by an expert or if you had the right software. That would have to wait until he was back at C-Sec headquarters.

 _Word is out that Fist betrayed the Broker to work for Saren. But Saren detests humans, he wouldn't work with one if he had a choice. Meanwhile, another turian Spectre dies on Eden Prime, while the Butcher of Torfan is practically looking on. Did she kill him? Possibly, but then why does she come to the Citadel? Assume she didn't kill him, then something else did, something that the humans refuse to reveal to the Council. Then Shepard shows up on the Citadel. Her commanding officer just happens to meet with the Shadow Broker's primary representative and a couple of hours later she just happens to walk into Fist's club?_

There were too many seemingly independent events going on. Fist clearly thought Shepard was coming after him. Garrus had recognized the two turians instantly: A couple of low-rent thugs of the type that Fist kept around to do his dirty work. But was Fist correct? Would the Butcher of Torfan work for the Shadow Broker, either as a permanent agent or just on a contract basis? At first glance, the idea seemed too outlandish to be true. Then again, the Broker had agents in lots of places and you didn't get to be the Butcher of anywhere by being overly sensitive about ethics. On the other hand, Urdnot Wrex was now on the station as well, and his connection to the Broker was common knowledge. Would the Broker order two agents to carry out a hit on Fist independently? That seemed unwise. Too much chance of them getting in each other's way.  
But if Shepard did not work for the Broker, then what was she doing? Councillor Sparatus had indicated that Shepard's commanding officer had a personal grudge against Saren and that she might be helping him in that regard. Was that the connection? If the humans were going after Saren, they might want to move on Fist.

Garrus slowly shook his head. This was going to be a serious problem. Shepard and that slime from the human embassy, Harkin, had contained the situation and noone was going to miss the two dead thugs, but if Fist made another attempt, there might be more damage and C-Sec would be forced to deal with it. That would bring the whole situation into the open, which was exactly what the Council wanted to avoid. Unfortunately, that put one Garrus Vakarian on the spot. He needed information from inside Fist's organization and he needed it fast.

 **!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!**

 _A/N: Shepard & Co really need to be more careful about holding conversations in public, but then again they were coming off an adrenalin rush and espionage isn't their speciality. That's part of the problem when you try to use people for jobs they're not trained for, especially when everybody is improvising.  
_

 _Now Wrex is on the Citadel as well. Getting the characters to the right place at the right time is tougher than I thought it would be. The problem is that ME is not a real-time game: The other characters don't move until Shepard is there with them. So, C-Sec detains Wrex indefinitely; Garrus can spend days in the clinic listening while Fist's henchmen bully Dr Michel, Fist just sits around in his club, etc. All of them waiting for Shepard to show up. No problem in a game, but in a written story, that becomes a bit more complicated  
_


	13. Communication

**Mass Effect belongs to Bioware and EA. The AvP franchise belongs to 20th Century Fox.**

 ** **!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-****

 **Consort's Chambers, the Presidium**

"It seems you were successful, Commander." Sha'ira smiled. "I just received a lovely message from General Oraka."

"And as you can see, I rushed back, all eager to impress you with my success."

"Yes, indeed. In fact, you seem to impress a lot of people, Commander. Some of them are becoming increasingly curious about your actions and would like to know exactly what it is you hope to achieve. Is there something I should be telling them? If they ask me, that is."

Shepard considered. If Captain Anderson's contact on the Citadel was to be believed, this was indeed the conduit to the Council that they had been trying to arrange. Unfortunately, there wasn't a lot to tell. They could present the recording from Eden prime to play against a sample of Saren's voice. That should be enough to cast doubt on Saren. But casting doubt wasn't enough. Perhaps they would be able to add further evidence later on, especially if they could get Fist to turn on Saren, but presenting evidence bit by bit in small chunks seemed like a bad idea. To Shepard, it sounded like what military strategists had once called 'graduate pressure'. It was the equivalent of poking someone over and over again with a stick in the hope that it would make them go away. In practice, it was usually better to wack them hard just one time, or in this case, to dump all the evidence on them at once and rely on the shock value to persuade, where a steady trickle of information would fail. Still, there might be an opportunity to lay some groundwork.

"A Spectre named Nihlus Kryik died on Eden Prime."

The consort seemed to freeze. "I was not aware of that."

"We're not advertising the fact. Neither is the Council. His presence was part of the deal that we struck regarding the prothean beacon."

"And now he is dead."

"I assure you, I didn't kill him. Though, to be completely honest, things were moving in that direction. No, for reasons that we can only guess at, he decided to go off on his own. We followed him, but we just found the corpse. There is some confusion as to how he ended up that way."

Seemingly relaxed again, the consort seemed to study Shepard from the corner of her eye. "If someone dies in the middle of a geth attack, my first assumption would be that the geth killed him."

Shepard nodded. "That would be the first assumption, yes. Except that he was shot in the back of the head, execution style. Now, from what I've seen geth aren't exactly subtle. It's hard to imagine a big clunking robot sneaking up on a Spectre and popping a cap in his skull that way."

"I see." Clearly, the human colloquialism didn't seem to confuse the asari much. "Yes, I see. I assume you have a theory as to what actually occurred."

"A theory, yes. Proving it, especially proving it in a way that leaves no room for doubt, now that's another story."

"And you believe that such proof can be found here, on the Citadel? Wouldn't your time be better spent on Eden Prime?"

Shepard shook her head. "What evidence there was has been either collected or destroyed in the attack. Besides, you may have heard that a, shall we say 'biological problem' now exists on Eden Prime." Sha'ira nodded. "Well, let's just say that noone will be investigating anything as long as that situation exists and the only known decontamination involves large mushroom clouds. No, if there is any new evidence to be found, it will have to be elsewhere. Starting with motive. Now," Shepard hesitated for a second. "Normally, I would assume that there are plenty of people with reason to kill a Spectre. But the individual I'm thinking about isn't one of them; quite to the contrary, in fact."

"Oh?"

"Yes. In any case, I'd like to have conclusive evidence before I make any public accusations. In fact, it would probably be better not to make any accusations at all, until the suspect is either in custody or otherwise incapacitated."

"I understand." The consort nodded. "Would it be safe to assume that if word of your suspicions goes back to this individual it would hinder your investigation?"

Shepard shrugged. "I'm reliably informed that it is inevitable that this person would find out. However, we would prefer to delay it as long as possible and then have them find out as little as possible."

"And... what would this 'as little as possible' be, realistically speaking?"

"That there are humans investigating events on Eden Prime. Which, of course, is hardly surprising. As long as it's only a human investigation, it may not trigger too much of a response. After all, the ability of humans to investigate anything in Citadel Space, or on the Citadel itself, is limited."

"True. And if your investigation proofs successful?"

"Well," Shepard smiled. "It depends on the circumstances. We may simply present the evidence to the relevant authorities and let them deal with them. Or perhaps I'll be authorized to deal with them, personally. Or, perhaps, a more forceful response may be required."

"More forceful than you, Commander?"

Shepard's smile grew, even though it contained little humour. "I'm the government's precision weapon, Sha'ira. I kill targets one at a time. There are other people that can provide more of an, eh, area effect. Personally, I prefer precision."

Sha'ira nodded. "Yes, of course. Thank you, Commander."

 **-0-0-0-**

 **The Presidium**

"Shepard?"

"Yes, sir." It was the second time Captain Anderson had tried to call the Commander. This time the call went through.

"I have Jin and Estanza walking around the Presidium, keeping an eye out, and they struck gold. That krogan bounty hunter that's after Fist?"

"Yes."

"His name is Urdnot Wrex, according to Barla Von. And a krogan matching his description just got hauled into C-Sec headquarters."

"Red armour, twice as big as life and three times as ugly? Well, he was making death threats in Fist's club. Do you think C-Sec will keep him for a while."

Anderson sighed. "I doubt it. According to the embassy people, krogan making death threats are such a common occurrence that it will never get them more than a warning. They may hold him for a few hours, but no more than that."

"I see. Well, it was too much to hope for. I think I'll pay a visit to C-Sec myself and see if I can persuade Mr Wrex to either lay off or cooperate with me. I don't want that walking wrecking ball smashing Fist before I talk to him. Incidentally, the consort's starting to ask questions, so I decided to see if this backdoor conduit actually works. I let slip that Kryik was murdered and that we're looking into it, but I didn't mention any other names."

"How long before she passes on the information?"

"If I had to make a bet, I'd say she made a call the moment I left. I also hinted that they might want to let me go about my business undisturbed, rather than the possible alternatives."

"Coming from someone with your reputation that's more a threat than a hint."

"Yes, sir. I figure they'll take it that way. It might buy us some time."

Shepard was about to put her comm away when it sounded again.

"Yes."

"Shepard, Harkin here"

"Ah, Harkin. I trust everything went okay?"

"Oh yes, the packages were delivered as planned. However, there is a new development."

"Oh."

"Yes. An acquaintance of mine at C-Sec had a little story to tell. One of their detectives is making inquiries after you. A turian named Vakarian."

"I see. Any idea what triggered this interest?"

"No. But it's not an official investigation. Apparently, Councillor Sparatus called him in for a personal project. Shepard..." For the first time since she'd met him, Harkin sounded fully professional. "Is there something I should know?"

"Probably." Shepard thought for a second. "But it isn't for me to say. Ambassador Udina wants this to stay strictly compartmentalized. Tell me, Harkin. This detective, eh, what's his name?"

"Vakarian. Garrus Vakarian."

"Yes, him. Anything you can tell me about him?"

"Yes, I know him." Harkin snorted. "He's a holier-than-thou do-gooder with a stick up his ass."

"Aren't all turians?" Shepard asked. "Serving the greater good of the Hierarchy and all that?"

"Not like this. The average turian cop keeps his head down and does as he's told. As far as they're concerned, _that_ 's the greater good of the Hierarchy. Vakarian is different. He thinks he can change the world, or the Citadel at least. And he doesn't always care how he goes about it. **"**

"Really? A turian vigilante? Now that's a new one."

"They exist. Though in Vakarian's case it may well be the end of his career. Executor Palin, the bigshot at C-Sec, isn't happy with him. Still, Vakarian seems to have at least some friends in high places, if the turian councillor himself puts him on your trail." Harkin hesitated. "Unless it's a plot to get rid of Vakarian. You know, send him after the Butcher of Torfan and hope he'll annoy you so much that you take him out."

Shepard chuckled "So, Uria the turian, or Vakarian the Hittite?"

"What?"

"Never mind. Thanks for the heads-up. If you can, please keep me informed about this Vakarian's activities. I may want to have a talk with him before he becomes too much of a nuisance."

"Will do. But, Shepard, watch out. I can make some problems go away, but a C-Sec detective? That's a different kind of problem. Besides, he's got a reputation in C-Sec. Whatever else they say about him, they all agree that he's one hell of a good shot."

"Got it."

 **-0-0-0-**

 **C-Sec headquarters**

"Alright, Vakarian, let me make sure I get this straight," Inspector Chellick, C-Sec undercover division, leaned forward. "Councillor Sparatus told you to investigate the Butcher of Torfan. Then the Butcher and her people go off to visit Fist's bar, and then they get ambushed by a couple of Fist's people, with predictable results. Is that the sum of it?"

"Pretty much, yes," Vakarian agreed. "Look, Chellick, I cannot go into details. Councillor Sparatus was clear on that. The council doesn't want any publicity until they know exactly what's going on. "

"And yet, you're talking to me."

Garrus hesitated. Before talking to Chellick, he'd run his recording of Shepard's conversation with her companions through a language analysis program that could read human lip movements. He hadn't been able to get the entire conversation because their faces had not been pointed toward the camera the entire time, but he'd gotten enough. _They thought it was Saren!_ It seemed like his suspicions had been correct. Shepard was going after Saren, presumably on orders of her commanding officer, and they had initially thought Saren was the one who had set up the ambush. But he could not tell Chellick about that. Chellick was normally close-mouthed, but if he heard that humans were going after a turian Spectre, he'd inform the executor; and once Pallin got word of it there was no telling what he might do. Still, he had to tell Chellick _something_.

"I don't have much of a choice. I need information, fast. If Fist has another go at it, there may be a public confrontation and the whole thing will be all over the Citadel. Shepard had someone from the embassy clean up the mess-"

"Let me guess, Harkin?" Chellick laughed. "Well, it's not as though I care. Two thugs less for us to worry about. But you're right, this could get very ugly. Between Urdnot Wrex showing up and making threats and the Butcher of Torfan sniffing around his club, Fist has gone to full-blown paranoia. Everyone around him's just waiting for him to snap and when he does, we may end up with a major shoot-out. What does Shepard want with Fist?"

"Who knows? But is it really a coincidence that the Butcher shows up about five minutes after Fist turns on the Broker?"

Chellick shook his head. "Unlikely. Spirits, I always knew that Fist wasn't the brightest crook ever to land on this station, but to sell out the Broker? Even to a Spectre? That's insane. And it looks like the Broker is trying to get that point across if he sends both Urdnot Wrex _and_ the Butcher of Torfan to deal with Fist." He checked his datapad. "Huh? That's weird. Fist seems to have another problem as well. Someone dropped me a message from the club. Fist got a message from an unknown caller. Next thing you know, he sent a couple of his thugs to a med-clinic in the Upper Wards."

"A med-clinic?" Garrus thought for a moment. "That's the one being run by humans, correct?"

"Yes, you think there's a connection?"

"I don't know, but, again, there are just too many coincidences here. And if Fist is so scared, why would he send some of his people on an errand? You know what? I think I'll go check it out."

 **-0-0-0-**

Shepard looked around as she entered C-Sec headquarters with Williams and Alenko. They had come through the place on her way from the Presidium docks when the Normandy first docked at the Citadel but there hadn't been any time for sightseeing. The place was huge; hardly surprising, considering the fact that it not only served as a police headquarters but as a customs and immigration point and a traffic control centre as well. Fortunately, her target wasn't hard to find. In a corner of the main hall, three C-Sec officers stood around one very big krogan. Clearly, the conversation was not going well.

"Wrex, I'm warning you-"

"You should warn Fist." The krogan moved forward, looming over the first speaker. "I'm going to kill him."

"Do you want me to arrest you?" The turian C-Sec officer was clearly trying to sound tough. It was not working.

The krogan made a deep rumbling sound that could, with some imagination be interpreted as laughter. "I want you to try!"

Shepard held her breath. If the C-Sec officers took the bounty hunter up on that challenge it might solve the problem for her. It might also be highly amusing to watch.

Discretion proved to be the better part of valour

"Get out of here!" The turian snarled. "But I'll be watching you!"

"Good. You might learn something."

The krogan turned and stalked toward the exit. Shepard considered blocking his path, then thought better of it. Stepping in front of a giant toad, three times her weight and in heavy armour while it was moving didn't seem like a good idea. Fortunately, krogan had their eyes on the side of the skull, which made it easy to attract their attention from any angle.

"Hey!"

For a moment, she thought he'd simply ignore her, but either curiosity or perhaps annoyance combined with the hope for a violent confrontation won out. The krogan stopped.

"Urdnot Wrex, correct?"

The krogan's eyes narrowed. "What's it to you?"

"I'm Shepard." She paused. She had no experience in reading krogan facial expressions, but she thought there was a hint of recognition in his eyes. "Word is, you're going after Fist."

The krogan's eyes narrowed further. "So, you're gonna try to stop me?"

"I couldn't care less what you do to Fist. Hell, you can 'fist' him to death for all I care." Shepard ignored Williams' muttering about putting images into her head. "My problem is that I have a few questions for him, and I doubt he'll be much good at answering them when you're done."

"Heh heh," Urdnot Wrex grinned. It was not a pleasant sight. "Not much doubt about that. So, what do you suggest?"

"A simple deal. Instead of getting in each other's way, we work together to get to Fist. Then I get to finish my business with Fist and you get to finish your business with Fist."

"A simple deal, right. You'd better have those questions ready because when I'm done, he won't be answering anything." He nodded. "But, fair enough. No point in shooting at each other when we can agree on the same goal. My people have a saying: Find the enemy of your enemy, and you may just find a friend." He held out a giant hand.

They shook on it.

 **-0-0-0-**

"Ma'am, are you sure about this?"

The three of them were standing around just outside C-Sec headquarters, waiting while Urdnot Wrex retrieved his weapons. Apparently, licensed bounty hunters were legally allowed to carry those around on the Citadel.

"About what?"

"I mean, this Fist may be a worthless lowlife, but we're basically helping some alien to carry out a hit on a human and-"

"-and nothing, Chief. Fist made his own choices. He chose to leave the United Systems, he chose to live among aliens, and he chose to screw over one alien in favour of another. Not to mention that he chose to send a couple of thugs to take a shot at us. I'd waste him myself, except that it looks like our new krogan bestie will save us the trouble. Normally, I'd just get a drink, sit back, and watch as he tears Fist limb from limb. The only reason we're getting involved at all is that we need information." She held up a hand when Alenko made to say something.. "And, no, Lieutenant, I'm not concerned about the rule of law here, either. This isn't our jurisdiction and besides, I'm not a cop." She looked up as a giant figure in red armour appeared. "Ah, Wrex. All set to pay a visit to Chora's Den?"

The bounty hunter nodded.

"Good, then let's find out what kind of reception Mr Fist has prepared for us. I figure between the four of us, we should be able to get past his guards, one way or another."

At that moment her communicator sounded again.

"Harkin?"

"Yep. Vakarian is on the move again."

"Anywhere specific?"

"Yes, actually. That's the weird part. According to my source at C-Sec, he's off to a med-clinic in the Upper Wards. One that's human-run."

"And no indication what he thinks he's going to find there?"

"My source doesn't know. But before Vakarian went off, he was talking to another turian, guy named Chellick."

"Another maverick cop?"

"In a way. Chellick is on organized crime. He runs informants, mostly, and there are rumours that he isn't too particular about who he uses and how they get the information. Anyway, they talk, next thing you know, Vakarian is all 'hold my calls' and is off to this med-clinic.

"So, let me get this straight. This Vakarian is asking about me, then he talks to a guy who runs informants in the local underworld, then he hears something that sends him running to a med-clinic? Alright, thanks for the information, Harkin. I think I'll pay a visit to that clinic myself."

Shepard closed the link.

"There is no way that was a coincidence. If this other turian works on organized crime cases, you can bet he has an eye on Fist. That must be why Vakarian talked to him. Okay, let me take a look at the map." She checked her tablet. "If we take the elevators, rather than the rapid transport the clinic is on the way to Chora's Den. We'll drop in and see if we can find out what's going on. The last thing we need is an overeager cop walking in on us when we hit Fist." She shook her head. "Let's hope he's willing to listen to reason."

"Why?" Wrex grumbled. "You afraid of some C-Sec cop?"

"Not really." Shepard shrugged. "But dead cops tend to bring living cops and we don't need that kind of hassle. Besides, according to the rumour, he's a good shot. Good shots are rare and I'd hate to kill one if there's no need. Let's talk to this Vakarian guy and see what we can figure out."

 **!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-**

 _A/N:_

 _Initially, I thought that Wrex was a bit too quick to agree to cooperate and figured I'd change that. But then I realized, that's actually something of a trend: Despite their reputation for having violent tempers, most of the krogan you meet in the ME games are willing to negotiate. The bounty hunter on Noveria is a typical example, so is Nakmor Morda in ME:A. Krogan may be a grumpy lot, but they're not unreasonable. Even in encounters that will inevitably lead to violence (like with clan Gatatog on Tuchanka in ME2), there is usually a conversation/bargaining phase before the shooting starts. So, I decided to leave things as they are. After all, why wouldn't Wrex cooperate? It can make his life easier and if things go wrong, he can always change his mind later.  
_

 _N7 skills. Only Shepard is an N7, Williams and Alenko aren't, and even N7s are still soldiers, not spies, and they are behaving like soldiers, quickly disseminating tactical information. It's not just a matter of training, they lack experience in deep cover operations. Send them on a commando raid and they'll do great, but this is something else. They're not going to blab classified information about where they know they can be overheard, and in fact, even in that brief conversation, they didn't give much away, but neither do they have the instinctive habit of a deep cover intelligence operative to not ever saying anything anywhere, just on the off-chance that someone might be able to pick it up.  
_

 _Guest: For the conversation with Oraka I tried to recreate the tone of the conversation, but wrote the words myself with more emphasis on Shepard's feelings about the marines she lost on Torfan._ _ _Oraka cannot live with the fact that so many of his soldiers basically died for nothing, while Shepard seriously doubts that Torfan was worth the price they paid._ It's what the two characters have in common and Sha'ira saw it (Nothing magical, it's more that she's doing a form of cold-reading.) _


	14. Medical emergency

**I don't own Mass Effect or the AvP franchise**

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 **Councillors' Chambers, the Presidium  
**

"And she said exactly that?"

"According to Sha'ira, yes. And I don't think Sha'ira would lie about this."

"No, she wouldn't. She has nothing to gain from it." Valern considered for a moment. "When the Butcher of Torfan claims to be the lesser of two evils, it is wise to consider carefully. One doesn't get such a moniker by making idle threats. Still, could she be feeding Sha'ira false information?"

Tevos hesitated. "I suppose it's possible. But I doubt it. If Shepard had killed Nihlus, I would expect her to lay low, not draw our attention. For that matter, why come to the Citadel at all? Besides, how many people do you know, of any species, that can lie to Sha'ira successfully for any length of time?"

"True." Valern blinked several times. "There may be another source of information. Eden Prime was host to the only significant non-human population group inside human territory. Have any of them returned to Citadel Space since the attack?"

"No. I've made enquiries, but the humans are blocking all access. They claim that the survivors haven't been medically cleared yet. You can believe as much of that as you want. Perhaps general Corinthus can offer them medical help, once his fleet is in position. It might be interesting to see how they react."

"Perhaps." Valern blinked again. "Though if Shepard told the truth, the response may be more than Corinthus and his fleet can handle. I hope that Sparatus' pet detective is successful. We need information, fast. Most of all, we have to know what happened to Nihlus Kryik."

 **-0-0-0-**

 **Medical Clinic, Upper Wards**

"Look, I don't know what you want. I don't know anything-"

"Good. That's very good, Doc. You keep right on not knowing things and not talking about things. That's exactly what Fist wants.

 _Almost, just step a little to the side. Just a little bit and I can blow your stupid head right off._ Garrus risked a brief glance around the pillar that was hiding him from sight. It was pure wishful thinking, of course. Even if he could take down the thug who had the doctor backed up against the wall, there were still two others to deal with. Garrus had little doubt that he could take all three of them, especially if he could take the first down by surprise but whether Dr Michel would survive the shoot-out, that was another matter.

"You know what happens to people who mess with Fist, don't you?"

"Actually, I don't," A new voice said from the door. "Care to enlighten me?"

The thug whirled around, taking a step away from the doctor. There was never going to be a better opportunity. Garrus stepped from behind the pillar and fired.

 **-0-0-0-**

 _Never a dull moment._ Shepard dove behind the counter as the bullets started flying. One thug was down already, his brain matter scattered all over the wall. Both Alenko and Williams hit the deck as well, looking for cover. Urdnot Wrex didn't bother. Protected by heavy body armour as well as the inherent resilience of the krogan physique, he just moved forward, taking at least two hits from bullets that were flying back and forth across the clinic as the two men and the turian exchanged shots. One of the thugs somehow decided it was a good idea to stand still in front of a charging krogan. He was proven wrong when Wrex slammed into him, picked him up and smashed him into the wall. He hit head-first with a crunching sound, dropped to the floor, and did not move again.  
The only remaining enemy decided to make a break for it. Taking advantage of Wrex's charge he broke cover and vaulted over the counter. Shepard stared in disbelieve as the man jumped over her and ran for the door, apparently unaware she was there. _Let's see if we can take him alive for questioning_. She fired and the man fell as the bullet tore through his knee. Shepard stood up, gun levelled, but her opponent rolled over, aiming his own weapon as he moved. _Oh, well._ The second bullet went into his skull.

As quickly as the battle has started it was over, leaving two humans, a krogan, and a turian eyeing each other warily while the doctor wisely hung back waiting for the situation to resolve itself.

"Nice shot." Shepard looked at where the dead man had landed and where the brain and blood had hit the wall. "Detective Vakarian, I believe?"

"I am. You gave me the perfect opportunity, Shepard."

"Glad to be of assistance." Shepard's gaze ran over the doctor. "No injuries, Dr...?"

"Michel. Dr Michel. I'm fine. I just..." She took a moment to gather herself. "Why are you all here? I mean, I'm grateful but..."

Shepard turned back toward Vakarian, who looked back at her.

"Word came through to C-Sec that Fist was sending his people after you, Doctor. I decided to investigate. As to what Shepard and her friends are doing here..."

Shepard grinned. "Let's just say that word came through to me, that you were going this way, detective. Since you were supposed to be investigating me, rather than dealing with smalltime bullies, I wondered where the sudden interest in human medical facilities came from."

"How-? No, wait, I already know. Your embassy man, Harkin. He has contacts in C-Sec."

"No comment." Shepard shrugged. "I guess all's well that ends well. Still, why did you come here yourself, Vakarian? Why not send a squad car and dedicate yourself to following me around?"

The turian's flanges twitched. "I don't need to follow you, Shepard. I know where you are at any moment. The Citadel is our station. Do you seriously believe you can go anywhere without C-Sec knowing about it if we want to know? No, this was more interesting. Fist is panicking. He has taken every street thug that can hold a gun and moved them into Chora's Den. He's that scared of you, and of Wrex over there. And yet he can still spare three of his people to pay a visit to this clinic. That had to be important. I figured it was worthwhile to see what that was all about."

"And was it?"

"I don't know yet. I only got the last bit of the conversation. Doctor?"

Doctor Michel looked up. "It's about a patient. A quarian."

"A quarian? What would a quarian do in a human clinic?"

"I'm qualified in xeno-medicine." The doctor shrugged. "A clinic like this cannot run on human patients alone. Anyway, she came in with a shot wound to the abdomen." The doctor cast a look at Vakarian. "She didn't want it reported, or go to C-Sec herself. Her being a quarian, it made sense."

The turian nodded. "Quarians tend to avoid the authorities, yes."

Dr Michel seemed to want to say more but apparently decided not to pursue the subject. "In any case, she was extremely nervous. As soon as I fixed the wound, she wanted to leave. I managed to keep her one night for observation, but she wouldn't stay any longer. Said she needed to contact the Shadow Broker; that she had information for him. Information about that turian Spectre, Saren. That's why I told her about Fist. I didn't like it much, but everyone knows Fist is the Broker's contact in the wards. That was nearly a day ago. Then, suddenly, those three walk in here. They wanted to know if I'd talked to anyone else about the quarian or the information she had. I said no, but they kept pushing and, well, you know the rest."

"Fist may have been the Broker's contact, but not anymore," Vakarian said. "Word is out that Fist has sold out the Broker." He jerked his head to indicate Wrex. "That's why he is here. And some people figure that Shepard went into Chora's Den for the same reason."

"Fist has betrayed the Broker?" There was disbelieve in the doctor's voice. "God! That's stupid, even for him. Damnit. I sent my patient straight to him."

"And considering that Fist sent his thugs to make sure you stay silent about that quarian, I think we can be sure that whatever information she had on Saren was not good news." Vakarian nodded, then turned around. "Which is probably good news for you, isn't is Shepard?"

Shepard's brows rose slightly. "What makes you think I care about this Saren?"

The detective made a snorting sound. "Don't pretend with me, Shepard. It all comes down to Saren. He's the common thread in all of this. You're after Saren. I picked up part of your conversation after that little incident outside Chora's Den and you dropped his name. So, you're after Saren and Fist betrays the broker for Saren. Now, this quarian shows up with information about Saren that's enough for Fist to take his thugs off bodyguard duty and send them after Dr Michel. Don't ask me to believe that all of this is just a coincidence. What is going on here? And don't tell me that it's all about whatever happened between Saren and your captain Anderson. That's what I believed at first, but it makes no sense. That was a decade ago, no need to hurry. Instead, you started moving on Saren almost as soon as you arrived and you haven't stopped since. Whatever this is about, it's recent. I want answers, Shepard. The Council wants answers."

"And as a great human philosopher once said, 'we don't always get what we want.'"

The turian looked at her. "I have a recording of you shooting two turians outside Chora's Den. Even if you claim self-defence, at the very least you can be charged for not reporting the incident. Not to mention that your man Harkin disposed of the bodies. Now, this." He gestured around the clinic. "Even if you don't get charged, C-Sec has more than enough grounds to detain the lot of you for days. Meanwhile, this quarian gets away or gets killed and I bet you really want to talk to her. Sure, the four of you can kill me, but then what? You think getting rid of a C-Sec detective is as easy as dumping a couple of thugs?"

"Probably not, though it might buy me enough time to finish things." Shepard sighed. "But you have a point. We've taken this about as far as we can."

Williams wanted to speak, but Shepard held up a hand. "No. If we want to keep that quarian alive, and I really think we should, we need to hurry. That means barging frontally into Fist's hideout. No matter what happens, we cannot keep this a secret anymore. Besides, the Council has to be informed anyway." She turned back to the turian. "Yes, this is about Saren, which is why we've been trying to handle it quietly. Anything we officially say to the Council is bound to leak and we don't want to tip Saren off that we're on to him."

"On to him for what?"

Shepard took out her tablet and opened a file. A turian voice spoke up.

 _"Spirits, Saren. This cannot be happening. Geth here, beyond the Veil. There must be hundreds of victims already. At least. And two Spectres, two turian Spectres in the middle of it all. Even if the human government doesn't throw the blame on us, you can bet that their press will. We need to-"_

 _"Don't worry, old friend."_ Another voice, weirdly distorted, answered. _"Everything is under control."_ A shot rang out. _  
_

Shepard closed the file. "There is a bit before that, but the conversation itself isn't very interesting."

Garrus looked at her. "I know that second voice. That was Saren. It's his jaw prosthetics. They change his voice. The first-"

"Nihlus Kryik."

"Saren was on Eden Prime? He was there when Spectre Kryik was killed?"

"According to the witness, Saren killed him. That's the shot you heard. Unfortunately, we cannot prove it. What you just heard came out of the buffer of a translation implant. We were lucky to get it. The witness himself was killed later on, his body disappeared. Without him, there is no way to prove where we got it, or that it's genuine. And this isn't some random guy off the street. If we want to accuse a Spectre, we need solid proof and this isn't it."

"And you think you can find proof here, on the Citadel? What possible proof could there be here?"

"Motive, maybe." Shepard shrugged. "According to observers, he was operating with the geth. We know about Saren's attitude toward humans, but to somehow arrange a geth attack on a human colony? That's taking specieism to a whole new level; and that doesn't even begin to explain the, eh, another part of the invasion. In any case, I'm not really all that interested in finding legally binding evidence here on the Citadel. I'm not a cop or a prosecutor. What I need is to find out what's going on, what Saren's plans are, and how I can stop him. Most of all, I need to find Saren. And that will be a lot easier if he doesn't know we're looking for him."

"And if you find him?"

Shepard looked him in the eye. "Do you really have to ask?"

"No, no, I don't." Garrus shook his head. "Do you understand what you're saying, Shepard? You're planning to kill a Spectre, a turian Spectre, based on dubious evidence. And you expect me to just stand by and let it happen? You expect the Council to stand by and let it happen?"

Shepard sighed. "Pretty much, yes. Before you make a decision, Vakarian, think carefully. Right now, you're dealing with me. You can stop me, sure. Or, rather, your buddies in C-Sec can after I've killed you. But then what? Apart from the fact that C-Sec will have to seriously step up recruitment to make up for the losses they'll take, the United Systems aren't going to walk away from this. We have thousands of casualties on Eden Prime, Vakarian, and the colony is contaminated to the point that we'll have to nuke the surface in order to make it safe again. Hell, we may have to abandon the place completely. Setting aside the issues of justice or revenge, we simply cannot afford the risk that he'll try this again somewhere else. Believe it or not, this is us being subtle. It's also something that ambassador Udina insisted on. There are other people back home that might overturn that decision at any given moment." _Well, not at any moment. The General Assembly_ _doesn't act that quickly, but it can happen eventually._ "Especially, if C-Sec, or the Council, start to intervene. So, what do you prefer? Me snooping around, occasionally shooting a few criminals, and eventually putting a bullet between Saren's eyes? Or a human fleet hitting the relay network while Udina stands on the Presidium Tower and demands that the Council hand over Saren or else? And keep in mind that once we reach that stage, the involvement of a turian Spectre in the attack on Eden Prime will become common knowledge in the United Systems. Care to guess what that would mean? Hell, handing over Saren might not even be enough. The General Assembly may have to declare war anyway just to keep control of the population."

Vakarian was silent for a moment.

"Why don't you go to the Council? Not in public, of course, but-"

"And then what? It's what I figured we'd do, but Udina vetoed it and he made a good point. Even if they're willing to listen, which is by no means certain, the moment any of us approach the Council it will be noted and sooner or later Saren will hear about it. We need to get as much done as possible before that happens. And even then, it's best if we keep the Council at a distance. It's one thing for Saren to know that we're on to him. If he thinks the Council is cooperating with us, he'll go to ground. No, we're not going to the Council directly."

"Hence Sha'ira." Garrus nodded. "Councillor Sparatus thought you approached the Consort for information. But that's not it, isn't it? You want to use her as a go-between. That's why she contacted Councillor Tevos."

"I assume so, though she didn't actually tell me about that. Doesn't really matter. Information seems to be making its way through. That's good to know. But that still leaves us with a few decisions to make. I was going after Fist in any case, and now it seems we have to hurry. What's it going to be Vakarian?"

 **-0-0-0-**

Garrus glanced around. One thing was absolutely certain. If he made the wrong decision he would never leave the clinic alive. Shepard's gun was pointed down, but he had no illusions about the speed at which she could aim and fire. The other humans were spread out over the clinic, covering him from different angles. Again, their weapons were still aimed at the floor, but that could change at any moment. Urdnot Wrex was simply standing near the wall, looking like a krogan who is not only having fun but expects to be having even more fun in the near-future.  
All in all, not a good situation. Dying in the line of duty was one thing; dying while achieving absolutely nothing and leaving a mess for someone else to clean up held little appeal. He was not quite sure how much of Shepard's claims he could believe, but they had an unpleasantly familiar tone. Humans could be dangerously volatile; the Relay 314 incident had shown that clearly. Even with limited data, xenopsychology experts had been able to analyze the human response to the initial incident and the following invasion and had been both astonished and horrified by the speed at which a rather confused society had been whipped up into fury. Noone knew for sure to what extent human military and political leadership had been manipulating public opinion, but the simple fact remained that after an initial period of confusions the humans had suddenly gone from bemused complacency to a violent rage that had seen them ready to hurl themselves at the rest of the galaxy. The Torfan raid had been a clear warning that they could do it again and nobody wanted that to happen on a larger scale. What was it worth to avoid that? And if Shepard's claim against Saren was true...  
 _One Spectre kills another. That means he has gone completely rogue, not just Spectre-rogue. And he is well on his way to start a war. That cannot be a coincidence. Saren hates humans. Nothing new there, but does he_ _hate them so much, that he is willing to start a war just to get back at them? And where do the geth fit into all of this? How did he even contact them?_ All good questions, none of which would be answered by dying here. _  
_

"A human criminal sent his followers to attack a human medical clinic," he said, slowly. "Obviously, that needs to be investigated, but because it is an affair between humans, it would be better if a member of the human embassy went along."

Shepard nodded in understanding. "Of course, fortunately, we've all been detached to embassy security, so there is no need to call for anyone else."

Garrus breathed a little easier. So far, so good. "But we cannot just leave this mess in the clinic unreported. Even if I was willing to let you cover it all up, if nothing happened here, then there is nothing to investigate in Chora's Den either, which means I would have no business going anywhere near Fist."

"And so?"

"And so we cannot just all leave. I killed one. I have to report that, but a full report can wait until after I've 'investigated' Fist's involvement, as long as I call it in. You all came in when the shooting started and helped me. Really nice of you and C-Sec appreciates your assistance, but someone has to make a full report. Especially because you are employed by the human embassy. There are forms that need to be filled out."

"Ah, yes, the joys of bureaucracy. I see where you're going, Vakarian. If I come with you, then Williams or Alenko, or both have to stay here."

"Both would be better. They can confirm each other's stories."

"Fair enough." Shepard thought for a moment. "If you call C-Sec, I call the embassy. An official call, no Harkin this time. That will give Udina the time to prepare a statement. But what about Mr Wrex here. He is neither C-Sec nor embassy staff and anyone who takes a look at that corps that's plastered all over the wall will know he wasn't killed by a human or a turian. And I don't think Wrex is willing to stay here when we go after Fist. Right?"

"Right." The krogan growled. "Me and Fist have some unfinished business."

Garrus considered briefly "He is a krogan. There was a fight going on, he decided to join in. Nothing strange about that. As it happens, he joined on the right side and help save the doctor's life. Everybody happy. Plus, he is a licensed bounty hunter. That gives him some official status. Again, he can sign the report later. So, are we agreed, Shepard, or are we going to add to the corpses on the floor?"

Shepard shrugged. "Never really wanted to be a cop-killer. We'll do it your way, Vakarian."

 **-0-0-0-**

Two quick calls later, a C-Sec patrol was en-route and ambassador Udina, though mightily irritated at having to deal with another crisis was already preparing a statement regarding the deplorable level of violence on the Citadel, which required armed embassy security to defend medical clinics against violent criminals.

"Alright," Shepard looked around. "Everyone ready to go? Any last minute concerns?"

"Just one," Wrex grumbled. "We hooked up to go after Fist. When did you plan to tell me that your business was actually with Saren."

Shepard stared at him for a moment. "I wasn't. Why, does it make a difference?"

"I suppose not."

"Excellent. Now, Williams, Alenko, you know your part? Be polite, give the nice C-Sec officers all the information they need, and try not to end up in jail. I'm sure," she continued, looking at the doctor. "that Dr Michel will fully confirm everything you say."

Dr Michel nodded quickly.

"Then I guess it time we left before the patrol arrives. Let's go visit the bar."

Williams started laughing.

"What?"

Williams sniggered. "Nothing ma'am. It's just, 'A human, a krogan, and a turian walk into a bar...'"

Shepard smiled. "...and the barman asks: 'Will there be any survivors?'"

 **!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-** **!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-** **!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-** **!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-**

 _Sorry about the long wait, but between getting slammed at work and having to travel around a lot I didn't have much time to write.  
_


	15. Bar fight

**I don't own either Mass effect or AvP**

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 **Upper wards, approaching Chora's Den.**

"No music," Garrus said softly. "That's a first. Chora's Den never closes, and you can always hear the music from here."

"I guess it's a surprise party," Shepard shrugged. "They're all quiet now, but the moment we walk in, the lights come on, everybody cheers, the music starts, and an asari stripper jumps out of a cake." She looked up to find both aliens were staring at her. "Sorry. It's a human thing."

A krogan and a turian, for once in perfect accord, looked at each other, then decided that it wasn't worth the time or effort to understand.

"Anyway," Shepard continued. "I would assume from the lack of music that Fist has shut down his bar, waiting for the shooting to start. I guess we should oblige him."

"Straight through the front entrance, then?" Garrus asked.

"Not much of an alternative from what I can see. Unless you know of a back door that we can exploit?"

"No." The turian shook his head briefly. "There is a supply entrance at the back, but it has heavy doors. By now it will be locked and we'd need breaching charges to get through. Even if we had them, we're already on the edge of what's legal Shepard. If we start blowing up the station... No, the front door is the better option. Besides, we'll have to deal with Fist's goons anyway. Better that we do it before we catch Fist himself than that they interrupt us while we talk to him."

"Much better," Wrex grumbled. "No point in skulking around."

"So," Shepard said. "Frontal assault it is. Just remember. I really need to talk to Fist, so try not to kill him."

 **-0-0-0-**

 **Upper wards,**

 _What's happening? Why is this taking so long?_

Just a few hours, the human had said; and she had had little choice but to believe him. So, here she was, hiding in an alley, waiting for the Shadow Broker to show up. But hour after hour had passed and nobody showed up. _What if_ no one shows _up? Or if they show up too late_? Tali'Zorah, lately of the ship Rayya, swore under her breath. Not for the first time, she questioned the wisdom of her actions. It had seemed so simple. Contact the Shadow Broker and trade her information for passage off the station; a simple exchange. But that was then, and this was now. The longer she stayed in one place, the more likely it was that her pursuers caught up with her. Even though she'd managed to hack the Citadel's internal surveillance network to keep from showing up on anyone's monitor, it was not as though her trail was impossible to follow. The human doctor knew that she had gone to Fist and Fist knew she was in, or at least near, this alley and while the doctor might refuse to talk, Tali had little doubt that Fist could be bribed to tell anybody anything. To make matters worse, this alley was the worst possible location to be caught. There would be no witnesses around. Not even the generally quarian-unfriendly witnesses that one might find in the rest of the Citadel. It would be a simple matter to gun her down and dump her body in a waste-disposal unit and the fact that she might be able to take a few of her pursuers with her was a rather cold comfort.

 _One more hour. Then I'm gone. The doctor said there was a Volus in the financial district who could also contact the Broker. At least that way, I'll be in the open where everyone can see me. Even C-Sec would object to having a quarian murdered in the middle of the Praesidium._

Her decision made, Tali relaxed slightly. One more hour and the waiting would be over, one way or another. Just as she sat down behind an empty packing crate, the sound of gunfire echoed through the corridors.

 **-0-0-0-**

 ** **Chora's Den****

 _Two down, three down. This is ridiculous!_ Shepard ducked back behind the bar, then rolled sideways to get out of the line of fire and looked in amazement as someone fired a submachine gun over the bar, the bullets passing harmlessly overhead. _You do realize you can actually shoot through things, right? It's furniture for God's sake, not armour plates._ Whatever else was going to happen, the whole experience was proving to be quite an eye-opener. Nearly two decades of military service had not quite prepared her for dealing with amateurs on this pathetic level. Clearly, a lot of people watched far too many vids. She came out from behind the bar, staying low to the ground. _God, the moron is actually using an upturned table for cover._ Three shots went through the table and through the fool behind it. _Check ammo._ What Fist's people lacked in training, experience, and just plain common sense, they made up for in numbers and she was in serious danger of running out of bullets before he ran out of thugs.

Two more enemies popped up in her peripheral vision, moving to get around the circular bar and flank her. Neither made it as Vakarian gunned them down the moment they broke cover. _So nice to be working with competent people._

One of Fist's krogan bouncers came at her, roaring. He took one bullet, two, but just kept coming. _Not good, I really need a bigger gun._ Shepard threw herself aside to get out of the way, but she could have saved herself the trouble. A blueish wave rippled through the air, and slammed into the krogan from the side, throwing him of course. It was followed by a shotgun blast, which made him stumble, then followed by the armoured bulk of Urdnot Wrex, which flattened him completely. _Thank you Mr Wrex. Thank you twice, in fact, for letting me know you're a biotic._ Shepard paused for a moment to look on in pure appreciation as Wrex pounded his fellow krogan into the floor. More bullets came flying out of the doorway at the back, bouncing off a Wrex's biotic barrier before he moved off to the side, denying them further shots. _  
_

Silence.

Shepard looked around, checking for more targets, but the bar was empty, except for the corpses.

Vakarian moved up and joined her behind the bar. "Three of them are holding at the back door. We'll need to get past them."

Shepard chanced a quick look, but the area behind the doorway was cats in shadows. "You sure about the numbers?"

The turian tapped against the visor that covered his left eye. "Heat signatures. Problem is, one of them is a krogan."

"Fuck."

"Yes, and there is no way he's coming out. Not, after the way Wrex flattened the first one. You want to take on a krogan in a confined space, Shepard?"

"Not unless I get to soften him up with a couple of grenades."

"That's what I thought."

"Wait a second." Shepard looked around. "This handgun isn't going to cut it. I've got a backup, but it doesn't have any more firepower. Can you keep their heads down for a moment?"

Vakarian nodded.

"Okay. On my mark... Now!'

As Shepard dove out of cover, she heard Vakarian open fire. She moved flat on the ground, to the corps of one of Fist's men. _Shotgun!_ She grabbed the weapon lying beside the dead man's hand, then rolled away into one of the alcoves beside the wall. _Let's see._ It was a pretty standard human shotgun: pump-action, short-barreled, medium calibre; a design that hadn't changed much in three centuries for the simple reason that it worked fine as it was and any attempt at improvement would have increased its complexity and cost to a degree that the concept simply didn't warrant. Not really heavy firepower, but a significant step up from her handgun. Perhaps even more important, it had a clip of spare ammunition attached to the side. _Okay.  
_ She waved at Vakarian, who was still firing the occasional shot to keep the defenders' heads down as she moved slowly along the wall toward the open doorway. From the other side, Urdnot Wrex was approaching as well, his own shotgun at the ready and a big grin on his face. _Glad to see_ someone's _having fun._ As they approached the corner, Vakarian ceased fire, obviously worried that he'd hit either of them. Shepard looked at Wrex, who lifted a massive hand. As she watched, the blueish light of his biotics rippled along his arm.

Shepard held up her own hand, fingers spread out. _Five._ She dropped one finger. _Four._ Wrex nodded. His grin broadened. _Three._ Her other hand tightened on the shotgun. This was going to be ugly. _Two._ She glanced back at Vakarian, who was watching intently, his pistol still aimed into the shadowed doorway. _One._

With a speed that belied his bulk, Wrex turned and once more the air seemed to ripple as a biotic shockwave slammed through the door opening and into the defenders who had huddled there for protection. There was a cacophony of noise as people and objects were thrown backwards. Shepard didn't wait. She turned, lifting the shotgun, and blasted away.

Like Vakarian had said, there were three of them, all close together, hiding behind a stack of packing crates. One krogan and two humans. One of the humans was down, thrown to the ground by Wrex's shockwave. The second had kept his footing and was levelling his weapon, but Shepard's first blast caught him right in the face, putting an end to his part of the fight. That left-

The krogan bouncer knocked Shepard aside, sending her flying as he aimed his shotgun at Wrex, who presented the bigger threat in any close-quarters fight. Vakarian got a shot in that tore a gash into the krogan's skull, but it didn't even slow him down. His shot took down Wrex's barrier, but Wrex got a shot in as well as he charged through the doorway. The two krogan collided with a noise that could probably be heard all the way to the Praesidium. Shepard shook her head as she scrambled to her feet. From the corner of her eye, she saw Vakarain vaulting over the bar. She lifted her shotgun, but there was no way to get a clear shot at the two grappling krogan. Behind them, the second human was getting up as well. She fired, putting him down permanently. At that moment, Wrex slammed his opponent back into the wall, with a force that actually left a dent in the wall plates. For a fraction of a second, the two krogan were standing apart. It was all vakarian needed as he rapidly fired his pistol into the bouncer's skull. Even that seemed insufficient to put him down, but Wrex had managed to get his shotgun levelled and fired a final blast into his opponent's chest.

"You alright?" Vakarian asked while he tossed out his overloaded thermal clip.

Shepard winced, then nodded. "Cracked ribs. I'll live."

"Good," Wrex looked up. "Because we aren't done yet."

They were standing in a short corridor, not much more than a hallway, with the club on one end and a door on the other. Vakarian checked the electronic lock.

"Trivial. My C-Sec authorization code can override this."

Shepard's eyebrows rose in surprise. "Fist didn't lock you people out?"

"That would have been illegal and this door is in view of the club. Fist may be dumb but he isn't dumb enough to pick a fight with C-Sec over something as stupid as a door lock." He activated his omnitool. "Got it." The door slid open.

"Stay back, or we'll shoot!" a panicked voice came out of the corridor beyond the door.

"Oh, for..." Shepard shook her head. "Listen up, anybody in there! I'm Commander Shepard, United Systems Military. Some of you fuckfaces may know me as the Butcher of Torfan and I'm well on my way to becoming the Butcher of the Fucking Citadel. Now, in case you hadn't noticed, the three of us just shot our way through the bar. It's a fucking slaughterhouse. Now, you got a choice. Either you put whatever weapons you have down and walk out of here alive, or we're coming in to get you. You got five seconds!"

Vakarian looked at her and she had the strong suspicion he'd be raising his eyebrows if he had any. Shepard shrugged. "It's worth a try."

They could hear muttering from the corridor, then came a voice. "Alright, don't shoot! We're coming out."

Two men walked slowly out of the corridor, their hands raised. Shepard looked them over, they had no visible weapons.

"Smart choice. Tell me, where's Fist?"

The two men looked at each other, hesitated.

"Screw it," one of them said. "I ain't dying for Fist." He looked at Shepard. "He's holding up at the back. Got a safe room that's locked down. He went in when the shooting started and he hasn't come out since."

"Guess we'll just have to knock and ask him politely to come out," Shepard said. "Get out of here. And do yourself a favour. Stay away from people like Fist. They're too ambitious for their own good and then you end up with situations like this."

The two men practically tripped over their feet as they ran out.

Wrex snorted. "You getting soft, Shepard?"

She shrugged. "No point in killing them. They aren't worth the bullets. Now, let's have a talk with Mr Fist."

 **-0-0-0-**

There was no one else waiting or them as they made their way through the corridor. At the end, the corridor made a sharp turn, then ended with multiple doors. Vakarian checked the locks.

"That's the loading entrance. Locked from the inside, so he hasn't gotten out. The other-" His flanges twitched. "Nice lock. Definitely non-standard and my C-Sec override doesn't work. Give me a moment, Shepard and I'll see what I can do." His omnitool lit up as he started cycling through a series of commands. Shepard looked around. Next to the door stood a tall closet with an old-fashioned mechanical lock. She smiled.

"Weapons locker. Eh, Wrex, would you mind?"

The locker had been designed to keep out human thieves. It wasn't designed to keep out a krogan. It took Wrex a couple of attempts, but then the lock burst off and the metal shrieked as he tore the door off its hinges.

"Huh. Human stuff." He dumped the door.

Shepard moved up and took a look.

"Well, well." She reached inside. "Surprise! I got a feeling that C-Sec didn't know about this, Vakarian."

"What?" The turian looked up.

Shepard turned lifted the weapon so he could see it.

"This. M41A1 Mk2 assault rifle. Compact version of the original Pulse Rifle. About a century old, but it looks to be in good condition." She worked the action. "Definitely still functional. And this one even comes with the U1 under-barrel grenade launcher. This is military grade stuff, Vakarian. Not legal to own for a civilian anywhere in the United Systems. Probably from a batch that was marked for destruction, or lifted from an old militia depot somewhere." She took another look in the locker. "He's got the ammunition for it, too. We were lucky. If Fist's goons had known this was here or had the keys for it, for that matter, we'd have been in a world of trouble back there. Problem is, there is one missing from this locker."

Vakarian nodded. "You think Fist has it."

"Almost certainly. And a grenade launcher, in these tight quarters? That's bad news. I'm afraid our chances of taking him alive just went down. Unless..." Her voice trailed off as she dug through the locker again. "Never mind. I misspoke. This might actually work out just fine. How's the door coming?"

"Almost there."

"Good." Shepard started loading rounds into the grenade launcher. "Okay. This is going to be a little tricky. Nothing about what we've seen so far makes me think that Fist is a competent soldier. If he had been, he'd have been back in the club, leading his people. And he would have given them these rifles, instead of hoarding the good stuff for himself. But that rifle is a huge force-multiplier. Depending on the magazine he can dump 40 to 60 rounds full auto in one salvo and there is no telling what kind of a grenade load he's got. Even heavy armour is no guaranteed protection. If he's got the armour piercing variety, they'll go straight through."

"So, how do you want to play this?"

"Get me one clear shot." Shepard tapped her new rifle. "Non-lethal rounds. They come as part of the ammo package. Just get me that one shot and Fist is ours."

"Your choice, Shepard." Wrex nodded. "Just keep in mind, Shepard. You need him alive. I don't."

"Fair enough."

"It's unlocked." Vakarian shut down his omnitool.

"Great, here goes nothing."

 **-0-0-0-**

The door slid open and Shepard braced herself, but there were no shots from the door opening. She chanced a quick look. The door didn't actually open into the room itself, but, rather on another hallway, which opened onto the actual room. because the room was not in line with the door, Fist -and whoever else might be in there- could not shoot them until they moved across the hallway.

Wrex moved first, followed by Shepard, with Vakarian bringing up the rear. The krogan moved up to the corner. One step further. He turned, shotgun in hand-

"Back!"

Shepard jumped back. Wrex himself, instead of following his own advice, kept going and almost jumped the entire distance across the opening to the other end of the hallway, where he was in cover again behind a wall. That probably saved his life as multiple automatic weapons opened up. Even so, multiple rounds slammed into him, stripping his barrier and tearing into his armour.

"What the hell? That's no assault rifle!"

Shepard came in low, took a quick glance around the corner, then ducked back as another volley streaked past.

"Damn!"

"What is it, Shepard?"

She turned around. "Looks like those rifles weren't the only military hardware Fist picked up. He's got a couple of Sentry guns. Basically an automatic weapon on a self-contained mounting. They can be used manually, but from the speed that they react, I think Fist's got them in independent mode. They carry their own sensor package. Anything moves that doesn't wear the right ID tag and they open fire.

"Spirits. How much ammunition do they have?"

"Too much. I couldn't get a good look, but if they're from the same era as this rifle, they should be from the UA 571 series. Those could take up to 500 rounds. So, yeah."

Vakarian nodded. "Any chance of deceiving the sensors?"

"No way. There's no telling what Fist's security codes are, so we cannot fool them into thinking we're friendly. As for the sensor's themselves, they got a mix of mid-infrared, visual light, echolocation, and lidar. No way to fool them all."

"I see." The turian thought for a moment. "Shepard, if those were our weapons, I could probably hack them remotely, or overload the system. But we were taught that with human guns-"

"It doesn't work, because they aren't operated electronically. Yes. But..." Shepard grinned. "These are. Not the gun itself, that's a gas-operated machinegun. But the platform runs on electromotors and the sensors are electronic as well. Also, there should be a remote console with a datalink." She thought for a second. "Those things are from before my time, but they should shut down when they lose their sensors. Don't shut down the operating console. There is no telling how they'll respond to that. Especially since they're already in automatic mode.

"Alright." Vakarian's omnitool lit up. "I've got... I've got a lot of electronics here, Shepard. Looking for sensors."

"Focus on the lidar. The infrared is passive and your omnitool won't trace the sonic."

"Working on it."

Shepard ran back toward the corridor and came back holding a second assault rifle. "Status?"

"Almost there. Shepard, I can overload the sensors, but it won't last. Besides, if Fist can run those guns manually-"

"He won't." Shepard grinned. "The big problem with those Sentry turrets is that they lack protection. "They're vulnerable, even to small arms fire. Normally I wouldn't bother and just blow them up with grenades, but with Fist in there, I cannot risk it." She looked across the gap at Wrex and lifted the second rifle, making a throwing motion. She wasn't sure he'd understood, but that as alright. He was experienced enough to see an opportunity when t happened. "Anytime, Vakarian."

"Get ready... Now!"

The turian detective entered a final command. Shepard tossed the rifle into the opening. Nothing. She turned on the corner, rifle raised and send a short burst into one of the Sentry guns, then dove flat on the ground into the room, rifle moving to track the second target before Fist understood what had happened. She could have saved herself the trouble. Wrex was already moving. His shotgun barked once, twice, and the second Sentry cracked open. Shepard crawled forward, hiding behind a couch. Rifle fire, presumably from Fist passed overhead, but by now Vakarian had moved forward as well, his pistol fire keeping Fist from taking aim.

 _A little further._ She knew where Fist was now. All she needed was one opening. His fire shifted. Toward Wrex or Vakarian, Shepard didn't care. It was the opening she needed. She stood up. _There!_ The first shot went out from the grenade launcher. Shepard worked the action, fired again. Fist screamed as he went down. Before he had any chance of recovery, Wrex was in the room, kicking a chair out of his way as he grabbed Fist.

"The Shadow Broker says, 'hello'!"

"Easy, Wrex." Shepard moved up. "Alive, remember."

"Right." The krogan dropped Fist to the floor.

"Interesting result," Vakarian joined them. "Is this standard practice for humans, when they need someone taken alive? Just what did you hit him with?"

"M230s" Shepard levered the last round out of the grenade launcher. "Rubber bullets for riot control. And, no, not really. We prefer ultrasound and flashbangs for that. These are just a non-lethal means of dispersing a crowd. But, hey, it worked. Anyway, Vakarian, now that we're here, why don't you take a look around. I'm sure this room has plenty of interesting stuff that'll keep C-Sec busy for a long time. Meanwhile, I'm going to have a little talk with Mr Fist, here."

"I'm not talking!" Fist was trying to get to his feet. "I know my rights. You cannot just-"

"You don't have any rights," Shepard said coldly. "Rights matter to cops and judges, and to two-bit goody-two-shoes political activists. I'm not a cop, I'm not a judge, and I don't give a damn about politics. And my new friend, Wrex over there, he's got a contract to tear you in half, courtesy of your old boss. In fact, the only reason he hasn't killed you yet is that I asked him not to. So, start talking."

"You're going to kill me anyway."

Shepard shook her head. "Fist, or whatever your real name is. Why would I kill you? I don't care if you live or die. I kill people because they're important enough to kill, or because they're in my way. This may come as a shock, but you're not nearly as important as you think you are, so stop getting in my way. Now, start talking. Saren. What's the deal?"

"The Spectre?" Fist seemed to be regaining a little courage. "I work for him, yes. And he won't be happy to hear-, Ow!"

Shepard had grabbed his right hand and started twisting the fingers backwards. "Saren's happiness is low on my list of priorities. Stick to the facts."

The fight seemed to go out of Fist and he started over. How Saren had approached him, making a deal where Fist would feed Saren the same information he gave the Shadow Broker, and, more importantly, allow Saren to decide whether to pass the information on to the Shadow Broker at all.

"Stupid," Wrex grumbled. "Did you really think the broker wouldn't find out? You had a good deal. Why screw it up for a few credits?"

"Credits?" That seemed to anger Fist. "You think this was about credits? Do you know how much power the Broker has? How much influence? He can start a war. He can bring down governments! Saren's a Spectre. He wanted to put an end to it and I would have been the one to make it possible. Do you have any idea what that would have meant? What I could have done with the Broker's organization, once Saren took him down?"

"Jack shit," Shepard answered. "Because Saren would have squashed you like a bug. Or do you really believe that a rabid anti-human turian was going to stand by while a human becomes the new Shadow Broker? You're delusional. No, don't bother. I don't care. Now, what about the quarian."

"The quarian?" Fists glanced from Shepard to Wrex, then to Vakarian who had stopped searching the room to join them. "That bloody doctor told you. I'll-"

"You will do nothing. You will only talk. The quarian. What does she have?"

"Information." Fist snarled. "Wouldn't give it to me. Wouldn't even let me look at it. Only told me that it was about Saren. She said she wanted to trade it for passage off the station. But she would only give it to the Shadow Broker himself."

"PersonallY?" Shepard had little experience with krogan, but even she could tell that Wrex looked and sounded incredulous. "Noone deals with the Broker in person. Even I was hired through a go-between."

"I know," Fist snorted. "But she didn't. She believed that I could set up a meeting, so I told her I did. She's waiting for him right now."

"And let me guess," Shepard said. "Then you made a call to Saren. Where is she now?"

Fist said nothing.

"I remember a batarian governor. He didn't want to talk either. Guess what? He talked. Want to find out why?"

"In the alley." Fists courage did not last long. "There is an alley that runs from the Transit station to the Lower Wards. I told her to wait there."

"And then you called Saren to make sure she wouldn't have to wait long. Is that right?" Fist nodded.

"Then I guess we have no time to lose. Vakarian, you know the place?"

"I do." The turian looked grim. "Few people pass through and there is little to no surveillance. It's the perfect place for a quiet take-down."

"Well, then. You done here?"

"I am. C-Sec can send specialists to take the computers apart, but that's not my job. But what do we do with Fist?"

"Fist?" Shepard looked at Wrex. "I believe you had some unfinished business with Mr Fist, isn't that right?"

"That's right." Wrex lifted his shotgun.

"But you said-" Fist's voice rose to a shriek.

"I said I didn't care if you lived or died, Fist. And that's God's honest truth. I really don't care. I also said I wouldn't kill you. That's also true. I won't. Wrex on the other hand, well, he does care. And he didn't make any promises."

Shepard turned and walked away. She didn't even blink when she heard the shot behind her.

"Damnit, Shepard!" Vakarian caugt up with her in a few strides. "How do you suggest I justify that back at headquarters?"

"He resisted arrest."

"Seriously, Shepard?"

"Look around you. Two automatic weapon stations, an assault rifle in his hands, a club full of thugs with guns. Has anyone ever resisted arrest this much in the history of C-Sec? Let it go, Vakarian. It's one useless waste of life less on your station. Is anyone here going to care? And I can guarantee that the human embassy won't give you any problems over it. Besides, you heard him: He was going after the doctor again. We couldn't let that happen, now could we?"

"That makes a nice excuse, Shepard. Really nice."

"I know, right?" Shepard shrugged. "I don't believe in leaving living enemies behind me. Besides, it gave us a guarantee that he told the truth. If he'd lied about the quarian, he would have traded that for his life right now."

Vakarian nodded slowly. "The Butcher of Torfan. I'm beginning to see what they meant."

"No, you don't. Trust me, Vakarian. You really don't. Now, ready to save that quarian?"

 **!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-**

 **A/N** _So, one more appearance of the iconic Pulse Rifle. The Sentry guns are canon as well, though you have to watch the Director's cut of Aliens to actually see them._


	16. A dark alley

**I don't own either Mass effect or AvP**

 **!-!-!-!-** ** **!-!-!-!-**** **!-!-!-!-** **!-!-!-!-** **!-!-!-!-** **!-!-!-!-** **!-!-!-!-**

 **Chora's Den.**

"What can you tell me about that alley," Shepard asked as they made their way back through the club.

"It's more of an access tunnel for maintenance than an actual corridor," Vakarian said. "Pretty much straight ahead, no real curves or corners but about halfway in there is a staircase, going down. And there is plenty of cover. The walls aren't smooth, there are pipes and conduits out in the open, and there is usually plenty of trash piled up. Anyone smaller than an Elcor can find something to hide behind."

"What about lighting?"

"Not good. Only emergency lights and there is nothing I can do about it. It's not that the lights have been switched off, they just aren't there. It really is the perfect spot for an ambush."

"Certainly sounds like it. Well, I suppose that works both ways. We may be able to surprise whoever shows up when they're focused on the quarian. My only real worry is that they leave guards at the entrance. If we cannot get into that alley without being detected, we've got a major problem. We may have to fight our way along the full length of that alley. Plenty of time for that quarian to get killed."

Vakarian nodded. "Yes. Speaking of the quarian. Assuming that we can extract her alive. What exactly are your plans, Shepard?"

"She has information. I want that information. It's really quite simple."

"And if she doesn't want to give it to you?"

Shepard shrugged. "She was willing to trade with the Shadow Broker for passage of the station. Now she can trade with me."

"And if she doesn't want to deal with you?"

"No reason why she wouldn't. She wants to get off this station. That's fine with me. I'll book her a first class ticket on the next ship out and I'll escort her on board myself. Hell, I'll throw in a bottle of Champagne or whatever it is that quarians drink. But, if she really won't deal. Well, I'm not sure how this will translate, but humans would say that 'I'll make her an offer she cannot refuse'."

"I think it translates quite well. Especially, if you mean, what I think you mean. Shepard, I have to warn you. That little stunt with Fist was one thing. Like you said, he was a lowlife and nobody is going to miss him. But this quarian, I don't know who she is, but from her interaction with Fist, I would say she's rather naive. It sounds to me like she just got caught up in this mess."

"And so?"

"And so there are limits. I don't like quarians, Shepard. I don't think anyone does, really. But I will not let you torture an innocent bystander for information."

"I see." Shepard pushed a final grenade into the magazine of her rifle. "Then I suppose we can only hope that either she isn't an innocent bystander or that she's willing to be reasonable. Or both."

"Are you two done?" Wrex had already reached the doors. "Or do we stay here while you talk some more?"

"Don't worry," Shepard said. "We can talk and fight at the same time."

 **-0-0-0-**

 **Connecting Alley**

The sound of gunfire had died down. Tali couldn't quite make up her mind if that was good or bad news. The human, Fist had seemed like the kind of person who would have enemies with guns, so the gunfight might actually have nothing to do with her. In that case, it might actually be a good thing if Fist's club got shot up because it might confuse the trail for anyone pursuing her. Then again, that seemed to be too much of a coincidence. Still, why would anyone pursuing her launch a full-scale attack on the club? That was almost guaranteed to bring the authorities down on them, which was the last thing they would want. Still, it might be better to get out while she still could. Even if the gunfight had nothing to with her, it might well scare off the Shadow Broker and she would be stuck in this alley forever, waiting for someone who would never show up. And if it was about her... She had left her drone near the entrance of the alley so she'd have a little advance warning if anyone came from that side, but she'd still be caught in a narrow alley, unable to do anything but run toward the lower wards.

Tali hesitated, then came out of her hiding spot. She'd had enough. Time to get out and come up with a new plan. Perhaps that Volus on the Praesidium could set up a new meeting with the Shadow Broker. And if not, she might be able to get passage off-station by mustering on with one of the smaller freighters. Not everyone was so prejudiced against quarians that they would pass up the opportunity to hire an engineer of her skills.

She had barely taken two steps when she froze, then fell back into the shadows, as the enhanced audio sensors in her suit picked up a new noise. There was the unmistakable sound of a blast door sliding open, then closing. Someone had entered the alley from the side of the lower wards and, if the footsteps were any indication, they were now making their way toward her.

 ** **-0-0-0-****

 **Upper Wards, Transit station**

"There's the entrance."

"And they did put a guard in place, damn!"

A turian in civilian clothes was leaning against the wall next to the door. Shepard stepped back into the shadows before the turian could look in her direction.

"Certainly looks like it," Vakarian agreed. "A good sign actually. He cannot have been standing there for long, or he would have heard our gunfight. Looks like we might still be in time. Though I suppose he could just be a random person waiting for a Transit cab."

"Really?" Shepard asked. "Where would he have come from? He certainly didn't come out of Chora's Den and I doubt he came through the alley."

"True. If he had come from the lower wards, he would have called a cab there."

"So, now what?"

Vakarian chanced another glance around the corner. "Let me see." He activated his omnitool and a holographic image of the turian appeared.

"Copied from that visor of yours?"

"Yes. Now," he entered a command. "Zooming in, checking energy sources. Omnitool; something around his neck, has to be a communicator; and a weapon, handgun, left side. Tell me, Shepard, do you have any more of those non-lethal rounds?"

"One more. Why?"

Vakarian made a noise that sounded suspiciously like a sigh. "I'm a cop, Shepard. He may look suspicious, but he hasn't broken any laws. I cannot just let you gun him down, no matter what Executor Palin believes of me. So, can you take the shot?"

"Probably," Shepard nodded. "The grenade launcher is inaccurate, but at this range, I can hit him. Question is, where do I put the bullet? With a human, I'd know, but a turian? I'll have only one chance."

Vakarian hesitated. "Side of the head, above the eyes. A good hard knock will take him down."

"And that won't kill him? They may be called non-lethal, but if you hit a human in the head with one of these rubber bullets, you take a big chance."

"We turians are tougher. We have armour plating on top of the skull. It will hurt, but it won't kill him as long as the shot doesn't actually penetrate."

"Your decision." Shepard lifted her rifle and flipped up the sights for the grenade launcher. Se worked the action and fed the last remaining M230 round into the breach. "One shot. Stand by. If I miss and he goes for a weapon, I'll just gun him down for real."

She edged closer to the corner."On three. One, two, three!"

Shepard stepped into the open, making no attempt to hide. The turian spotted her. His talon went into his clothes, just as Shepard saw the sights line up. _Now!_ She fired. As soon as the shot went out, her finger went for the fire selector, ready to switch to the automatic rifle, but there was no need. The turian dropped like a stone.

"Got him."

Vakarian moved forward quickly, followed more slowly by Wrex.

"Good shot. He's unconscious. Won't wake up for a while either. I'll make sure he stays where he is."

The detective unhooked something from his belt and locked it around his fellow turian's wrists while Shepard looked on in fascination. "Tell me, is that actually a mass effect field, holding his wrists in place?"

Vakarian looked up. "Obviously."

Shepard snorted. "They're just restraints, for God's sake! Just use a couple of metal bands with a chain between them!"

Vakarian looked at her rather strangely. "And then what, Shepard? That may work on a planet where everyone is of the same species, but here in the Citadel? What if I have to restrain a krogan or an elcor. I'd have to carry three or four different sizes of restraints, at least. And that doesn't begin to address the problem of restraining a hanar. No, this may seem expensive, but trust me, it's the only practical option."

Shepard shook her head, feeling slightly bewildered. "I'll take your word for it. Anyway, I suggest we hurry up. Before someone calls this guy and realizes he isn't answering the phone."

 **-0-0-0-**

 **Connecting Alley**

A turian and two salarians, all in combat armour, even though the turian's head was uncovered. Was any of them the Shadow Broker? They certainly didn't look like the types who would make a habit of scurrying through an alley like this. But then again, they didn't match her idea of a Galaxy-class information trader either. More like mercenaries, or private security. About halfway through the alley, they stopped and looked around. One of the salarians activated an omnitool **,** including multi-wavelength scanners. Tali took a deep breath. This was it. She could probably block his sensors, but he would realize that she was doing it and know that she was nearby. After that, it would only be a matter of time before they found her anyway. She stepped out into the open. **  
**

"Ah, there you are!" The turian looked her up and down. "I apologize for the delay, but setting up this meeting took a little longer than expected. Now, I believe you had some information that you wanted to trade."

"With the Shadow Broker," Tali said. "are you saying you're him?"

"Not exactly," He continued smoothly. "I'm afraid the Shadow Broker would have been unable to get here in time. But he sent us to make the deal."

On Tali's omnitool, a small warning signal lit up. Her drone had detected movement. Someone, three of them in fact, had just entered the alley from the direction of Chora's Den. That was not good. She was about to be traped between whoever had shot up Chora's Den and the three in front of her, with no guarantee that either of them would be on her side. In fact, it looked increasingly as though neither would be.

"I told Fist that I would only deal with the Broker himself." Tali backed away only for the turian to take a step forward. The salarians stood still, silent figures, there armoured helmets making them as even more anonymous than her environmental suit made her.

"Of course, but Fist isn't here right now. So, why don't we all agree on a new arrangement? That way we can all get what we want without any unpleasantness. Now, what exactly is this information that you want to trade?"

"Stay back!" The turian ignored her, taking another step forward and Tali was out of room to move. he reached out and grasped her wrist. A serious mistake. In itself, it might have seemed like an obvious move. A female quarian against a male turian in hand-to-hand combat would always be at a severe disadvantage. However, by grabbing her wrist his fingers passed through the haptic display of her omnitool, and no one, ever, touched a quarians omnitool without permission.

The turian screamed as a heavy electric shock went through his body. He let go of Tali's arm and collapsed. The salarians raised their weapons trying to get a shot. Then, while Tali desperately scrambled for cover, the people behind her, whoever they were opened fire.

 ** **-0-0-0-****

The turian screamed as the arc of electricity hit him and went down, hard. Shepard grinned. _Note to self. When dealing with_ _quarians, treat the_ _omnitool as though it's a weapon. Still, it won't save her, unless..._ The quarian was moving fast, ducking between crates, while she tried to pull out whatever weapon she carried. The salarians moved in, quickly, efficiently. These were professionals, a far cry from Fists untrained thugs. Shepard fired a burst, saw the initial shots bounce of a kinetic barrier. _Keep firing!_ It was one of the most elemental lessons of the First Contact War: The rapid firing human weapons that didn't overheat after a few shots were the bane of mass effect shields. Usually, half a dozen rounds were enough to drop any personal shield and, unlike mass accelerator guns, human guns could just keep pouring in bullets. Still, the salarian didn't panic. Instead, he ducked into cover, while his companion returned fire. Shepard jumped aside. C _annot use a grenade. The quarian is too close and if what they say is true, any puncture of that suit is potentially lethal._ She fired again, missed, but now both salarians were pinned down. Next to her Vakarian was shooting as well, forcing the salarians to stay in cover while Wrex moved in, shotgun at the ready.  
More shots rang out. One of the salarian risked sticking his head out of cover. Shepard, Vakarian, and the quarian all fired at the same time. His shield collapsed and at least one shot went into his helmet. He fell down and didn't move. By now, Wrex had reached the fallen turian. He didn't even bother shooting him, but simply stepped on the turian's face, ensuring that he would never get up again. The second salarian, under fire and with a krogan approaching tried to make a break for it and fall back. He never made it. Shepard fired a quick burst that dropped his shields and then watched as concentrated pistol and shotgun fire tore through his armour. he twisted in mid-stride and fell. Then there was silence.

As Shepard watched, the quarian slowly emerged from cover. It was an interesting sight. She had seen images, but never actually encountered one. The alien seemed to have the figure of a human woman or an asari, except for legs that bent like a turian's and she was covered from head to toe -two of those on each foot- in a form-fitting suit, including a helmet with an opaque faceplate and a sort of decorated scarve that covered the back of her head.

"Who are you people?"

 _Wait, what? Is that a Romani accent? Who programmed THAT into the translator?_

 **-0-0-0-**

A human, a turian in C-Sec armour, and a krogan. About as strange a combination as any and it was clearly not a coincidence that they were here. The question was, what did they want from her that they were willing to engage in a firefight to get it? The human spoke up first.

"I'm Shepard. I've been reliably informed that you have some information concerning a turian Spectre named Saren. I would like you to share that information with me."

Tali looked from one alien to another. The human was focused on her, face expressionless, but with the muscles tensed. The turian looked openly worried, but his focus was more on the human than on Tali, and the krogan... was being a krogan, generally not caring about anything.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

The human breathed in slowly, then let the air flow out in a clearly audible fashion. "You know, it's been a long and frustrating day. I've been running all over this bloody station; I've been in four different shoot-outs, just in one day; I'm tired and I'm annoyed and I strongly recommend that you don't add to my annoyance. You went to a doctor in the upper wards to have a shot wound fixed. You told that doctor that you had information you wanted to sell to the Shadow Broker. The doctor sent you to Fist, who sent you into this alley to wait for the next contact. Do I have to continue?"

"No." Whatever else the human knew, there was clearly no point in trying to play dumb.

"Good, then we can stop playing games. As you may have guessed, there is no deal with the Broker. Fist sold you out to Saren, who arranged for this little committee. I think we can be reasonably sure there was at least one more of them, guarding the alley from the other end. By now he knows the operation has gone tits up, so he'll be contacting Saren at the earliest notice for instructions. However, that is of no immediate concern to you. What is of concern is me, here and now. You wanted to make a trade, so trade."

Tali thought quickly. This was the end of the line. There was no place to run from here. She'd just have to try to get the best possible bargain.

"What are you offering?"

Both the human and the turian seemed to relax slightly.

"That depends on what you're selling," the human countered. "I understand you want off this station. I can arrange that. Human merchants trade on the Citadel. It may take a few days, but I can use the human embassy to get you a place aboard the next ship that goes from here into the Terminus."

"And what guarantee do I have that you'll keep your word?"

Once again, the human audibly breathed in and out. It seemed to have some sort of significance, though her suit's translation system didn't detect it as a form of communication.

"You don't have any. But why would I bother with that kind of trick? It's not as though I'll be paying for it myself. And if word gets out that I screwed you over, it'll be that much harder to make the next deal. For me, or any human around here. Now, what kind of information do you have?"

Tali hesitated, but the human had a point, at least as far as she could understand her colloquialisms. As long as Tali didn't ask for too much, deceiving her would probably be more trouble than it was worth. And truly, all she wanted was a clear escape from the Citadel.

"I have a recording of a conversation. Just a few sentences. It's about a place called Eden Prime. I believe that's a human colony."

Not for the first time in her life, Tali appreciated how useful it was that quarians habitually hid their faces. It allowed one to react to news without giving anything away. None of the others had that advantage. The human's facial muscles tightened abruptly, causing her eyes to narrow in a clear display of anger, even to someone who had never even seen a human in the flesh until a few days earlier. The turian C-Sec detective was even easier to read. His mandibles flared, then almost snapped back down. Even the krogan reacted, albeit only barely.

"And how does this relate to Saren?" The human asked.

Tali looked down at her omnitool. "I would think that the fact that he is after me would be enough evidence that it does. I'll play the recording for you once we have a deal. I want safe passage off this station. And protection as long as I'm here."

The human nodded. "You have it."

"No." One thing quarians learned early was to bargain. In an environment with limited resources, where most exchanges were based on barter, it was an essential survival skill. Tali knew when she had the upper hand. "Not by you. Like you said, it's not you personally that will pay for it. I want an agreement with the human ambassador."

"Udina?" The human looked surprised. "You want to deal with Udina personally? That's got to be a first. Trust me, I've dealt with the man."

Tali remained silent.

"Alright, have it your way. But I gotta warn you, you'd probably get a better deal out of me." The human turned around to talk to the detective. "I guess I'll call Harkin to pick us up. A direct flight to the embassy will be far safer than public transport. What about you?"

"I'm not letting you out of my sight, Shepard." The turian's voice was harsh. "Or this quarian. If this information is what you think it is... No. Besides, if I don't go with you, I have to return to headquarters and report at least something of what's happened. I suspect it would be better for all of us if that got delayed a bit."

"Fair enough. Just don't forget to tell your people about the guy you left in restraints. It would be awkward if someone else found him there."

"Don't worry." The turian actually smirked, though Tali was unsure if the human would recognize that expression. "I locked out the Rapid Transit Station from the grid. Nobody is passing by anytime soon."

"Good thinking. What about you?" she looked at the krogan, who grinned.

"You're fun to be around, Shepard. Besides, I want to see how this plays out."

The human laughed, the sound eerily similar to what an asari would make. "Why not? Let's all go see Udina. The more the merrier. This will be worth it, just to see the look on Udina's face." She took out a small communicator. "Harkin? I need a pickup. What, no? No need for any disposal. C-Sec will handle that, this time. I just need a ride. And I'm bringing some new friends."

 **!-!-!-!-** ** **!-!-!-!-**** **!-!-!-!-** **!-!-!-!-** **!-!-!-!-** **!-!-!-!-** **!-!-!-!-**

 **A/N** _The only explanation I could think of, for the fact that Tali tends to sound like_ a _Romani is that it got somehow programmed into the quarian-to-human translator by someone with a really awkward sense of humour. And it has to be on the human side, because how would quarians even know about Romani, let alone what their accent sounds like. I know that was primarily ME2 and ME3, not ME1, but I prefer that version of Tali anyway. The way she appeared in ME1_ was _too immature for my taste. I felt bad for basically using a child-soldier. (Then ME2 came around and my little girl was all grown up, *sniff*.)_ **  
**


	17. Conversations

**I don't own either Mass effect or AvP**

 **!-!-!-!-** ** **!-!-!-!-**** **!-!-!-!-** **!-!-!-!-** **!-!-!-!-** **!-!-!-!-** **!-!-!-!-**

 **Financial District, the Presidium**

"Fist has been dealt with."

"Good." The voice said. "We will have to find a new agent in the Citadel underworld to take his place; perhaps more than one, to make sure they keep each other honest. But that can wait. What is the status of the human investigation into Saren?"

"Uncertain." Barla Von did not like to disappoint his employer, but it was always better to speak the truth than to try to deceive the Shadow Broker. "Urdnot Wrex has joined Shepard..." Wheeze "...So has a C-Sec detective. They..." wheeze "...attacked Fist's club together. We must presume..." wheeze "...that Fist told them what he knew before he died."

"Which isn't much."

"No, but-" Von hesitated.

"Yes?"

"Some of Fist's people survived..." wheeze "...They say he had a meeting with a quarian before the attack..." wheeze, "... a quarian who wanted to sell information about Saren to the Shadow Broker..." wheeze "...Fist sent her away, then sent some of his people to the human doctor that had directed..." wheeze "...the quarian towards Chora's Den. They never returned..." wheeze "... According to my sources within C-Sec They were killed in a firefight with Shepard's people."

"Which means that Shepard may be aware of this quarian. But Fist would not just have sent her away. He would have contacted Saren, which means that the quarian is almost certainly dead, or at least beyond our reach. So be it. When Urdnot Wrex makes contact, tell him to stay as close to Shepard as possible. We may need to use him as a source of information."

 **-0-0-0-**

 **Human Embassy**

"A krogan, a turian, and a quarian walk into the human embassy," Ambassador Udina said. "It sounds like the beginning of a very lame joke, but I'm not laughing. Tell me, Commander: Would you care to explain what you think you're doing? I distinctly remember telling you to keep the violence down to an absolute minimum. And yet, since this morning, you have shot up a med clinic in the upper Wards and turned a nightclub into a slaughterhouse. Is that correct?"

"Not quite, Mr Ambassador," Shepard smiled. "You missed a smaller shootout earlier outside the aforementioned nightclub, as well as another one just now. But don't worry about the first. That one was has been cleaned up."

"Meaning the other one hasn't, I presume. I already heard about your first adventure as well as the incident at the med clinic from your people over there," He gestured to the corner of the room where Williams and Alenko had joined captain Anderson. "Fortunately, that was an incident between humans, which limits the authorities' interest and nobody seems to have noticed that first encounter. However, a shoot-out on the scale of your assault on Chora's Den is something they simply cannot ignore. Please tell me that there is a good explanation for this, Shepard. Because I'm very tempted to just hand you over to Citadel Security and let justice take its course."

"Actually, C-Sec is already involved. Ambassador Udina, please allow me to introduce Detective Vakarian. He is on a personal assignment from the turian Councillor to find out what I'm doing."

Udina's eyes narrowed slightly. "I see. Perhaps you should come and work for me, Detective. I, too, would very much like to know what Commander Shepard is doing. And yet, part of me is afraid that it would be better not to know. And your other friends, Commander?"

"Ah, yes. We also have Urdnot Wrex. He has been hired by the Shadow Broker to deal with Mr Fist, who showed the poor judgement of selling the Broker out to our mutual acquaintance, Saren. Under the circumstances, I saw no harming in letting him join us. It seems unlikely that the Broker will do any business with Saren anytime soon and I strongly suspect the Shadow Broker knows at least as much as we do anyway."

"Better get used to that," Wrex said. "He always does."

"And finally," Shepard said. "We have Ms. ...Well, I'm sorry, I don't actually know her name but-"

"Tali'Zora."

"What?"

"My name is Tali'Zorah nar Rayya," the quarian repeated.

"In any case," Shepard continued, ignoring Chief Williams' muttered 'Gesundheit'. "She is the reason why things got a little violent, back in Chora's Den. Ms. eh, Rayya?"

"Just Tali, please."

"Sure. Ms Tali here has some information that she wants to trade, in exchange for safe passage off this station. The information seems to involve Eden Prime."

"I see." Udina leaned back in his chair. "And, what kind of information are we talking about, exactly?"

"A conversation," Shepard said. "That's all she would tell me. When it comes to negotiations, Ms Tali believes in going straight to the top. In this case: you."

"And, of course, you would assist her in that, helpful as you are." Udina shook his head. "Though I suppose I cannot fault her for wanting to negotiate with someone who actually has the authority to make deals, rather than bartering in a dark alley with some gun-toating mook. So, tell me, what kind of bargain are you thinking of?"

The quarian, Tali, sat down in the nearest chair. "I have a recording of a conversation. They are discussing the attack on your colony, Eden Prime. The people holding that conversation can be identified from their voices. I suspect from Commander Shepard's pursuit of me, and the lengths to which she seems prepared to go, that you would like to have a copy of the information."

"I think I should add," Shepard interrupted. "That our good friend Saren seems willing to go to equal lengths to stop us from hearing it."

"Very well," Udina said. "I'll concede that the information has value. Now, what is it you're looking for."

"I need to get off this station. As long as I'm here, I'm a target. Besides, I need to warn my people. I send a message through the relay network before I came here and by now they must have heard the rumours that geth were involved in the attack on your colony, but they cannot possibly know everything that I know."

"Getting you off the station is simple enough," Udina said. "There are several human trading ships docked right now. For that matter, Commander Shepard here has a ship docked herself. Perhaps she should take you home, personally. If nothing else it would probably improve the violent death statistics of the Citadel. So, yes, if the information is as valuable as you claim it is, then we will make sure you get off the station. Now, what exactly is this conversation, and how did you obtain the recording?"

The quarian sat in silence for a moment, looking down at her hands. Then she started speaking again.

"We were passing through the Crescent Nebula on out way to Ilium. Just a few of us, on a small ship. We were... well, it doesn't really matter. We had just discharged our drive core and were preparing for the next jump when we picked up geth signals. Geth, beyond the Veil. We traced the signal to a planet and decided to check it out. On the ground, we disabled one of the geth platforms and extracted its memory core. The geth erase all memory upon destruction, but if you know what you're doing, and if you're fast enough... Anyway, we managed to recover some of its memories. Part of that was a conversation between two individuals. They were discussing an attack on a place called Eden Prime. That's when we came under attack. We managed to get off the planet, but we didn't know what to do. When one of us recognized one of the voices it got even more complicated. It's a well-known voice, very recognizable. Some of us wanted to get back to the fleet, but I persuaded them to keep going to Ilium to alert the authorities. A geth attack beyond the Veil is bad news for everyone. Trying to hide it would be pointless." She looked up. "No matter what had happened, there would be people blaming us because we created the geth, even after all this time. We couldn't stop that from happening, but at least this way nobody could say that we tried to cover it up. So, we sent a message back to the Fleet. No detail, just a warning about the geth. They must have picked it up by now. And we kept going. Except..." She shook her head. "I was a fool."

"How so?" Anderson asked. "Your plan sounds reasonable enough."

"Yes, it does, doesn't it?" Her voice became bitter. "What I forgot to take into account was the attitude of the port authorities on Ilium. Quarians aren't exactly popular, in case you didn't know. At first, they wouldn't let us land at all. Then, when we paid a bribe, they still hit us with delay after delay. By the time we were finally allowed to land, there was a mercenary force waiting for us. It didn't end well. In the end, there were just the two of us, Keenah and myself, our ship half destroyed so we had no way to escape on our own. We stowed away on a transport to the Citadel. But when we arrived here, no one would listen."

"No one would listen?" Udina's voice was suddenly very cold. "Just who exactly did you talk to that 'wouldn't listen'?"

The quarian made a gesture that looked remarkably like a human shrug. "The captain of the transport had handed us over to Citadel Security. We spoke to a Detective Chellick, but-"

"But he wouldn't even let you finish a sentence," Vakarian interjected. He looked from Shepard to Udina, then back. "I know this looks bad, but I honestly don't think it was a deliberate attempt to hide the truth from you. Chellick's not interested in politics and prefers to stay out it. His focus is on organized crime and he tends to ignore anything outside that mandate. Combine it with the fact that he was talking to quarians and it's not so surprising that he dismissed them without a hearing."

"I see," Udina said. "I see, indeed. In any case, we can discuss Detective Chellick's failings, and those of Citadel Security in general, some other time. And you can be assured that I _will_ discuss them. Now, after you failed to convince the authorities, what happened?"

"We were attacked." She fell silent for a moment. "We were near the Praesidium, trying to figure out what to do next. The attack on Eden prime was all over the news, but C-Sec wouldn't listen to us and we'd just learned that there is a waiting period of seven months for an audience with the Council. So, we were discussing our options when the mercenaries from Ilium attacked us. Keenah," She shook her head. "He was wounded badly, couldn't keep up. I led the mercenaries into the waste-disposal system and hacked one of the incinerators. The fools followed me in there and burned. It seemed a fitting way to deal with garbage like them."

Shepard grinned at the satisfaction in the quarian's voice. "I assume that you were wounded yourself in that exchange."

"Yes. I looked for medical aid and ended up at your Dr Michel's clinic. By then I knew I was out of time and that I needed to get off the station. So, I thought of the Shadow Broker. I'd heard stories, how he would buy all kinds of information. I figured that for a copy of the recording, I could get passage into the Terminus and contact my people. Let someone else decide what to do next. Your doctor sent me to Chora's Den. You know the rest."

"Yes, I do," Shepard said. "But why the hell didn't you come to us? C-Sec may be unwilling to listen and the Council may take months to grant an audience, but I can assure you that if you'd just walked up to the embassy and said the words' Eden Prime', they would have let you in."

"Would they?" Behind the quarian's faceplate, Shepard could just make out two faintly glowing eyes that were now looking into hers. "Perhaps. But we had no way of knowing. I'd never met a human before I walked into that clinic. Few of us have and then only some traders that go into the Terminus systems. And even if you'd let us in, would you have let us out again? Besides, I have more than just myself to consider. Our fleet is out in the Terminus. We have to deal with other species to survive at all and it gets harder every year. And now there has been a geth attack outside the Perseus Veil! How do you think that will impact what few trade relations we have? There is nothing I could do about that, but by contacting the Council and warning them I might have been able to limit the damage. Now that chance is gone. So, tell me, how will the Council react when they hear that a quarian sold out one their Spectres to you? If they retaliate by cutting us off completely, will you let the Migrant Fleet into your space? Into the Skyllian Verge maybe, or even into the United Systems core worlds?"

"No." Shepard shook her head. "Not even if you'd handed us Saren's head on a silver platter."

"I agree," Anderson said. "The ambassador can judge this more accurately, but I cannot see any circumstances that would make it possible. Even if the General Assembly were willing to make such a deal, they'd face a revolt among the colonies when your people showed up. Increased trade might be possible, but our government doesn't control that. The corporations and independent traders just go where they think the profit is. You want that trade, you have to make it worth their while."

"That's what I thought." For a moment she simply sat there, with her head bowed. "So, no, dealing with humans was not my _first_ choice, or any choice at all. But, here I am. Do we have a deal?"

"We do," Udina said. "We do indeed. Now, let's hear that recording."

 **-0-0-0-**

 _"Eden Prime was a major victory. We are one step closer to our goals."_

 _"And one step closer to a new order."_

For long seconds, no one spoke. Then, Vakarian stood up and walked to the window overlooking the Praesidium.

"The first voice, that was Saren. Well, I suppose it could have been faked, but that's for the experts to figure out. As it is, just from listening to it, I would say, you have your proof. The second, that was an asari. But I cannot tell who it is."

"Definitely asari," Udina said. "And I think I've heard it before, but I cannot quite-."

"I identified it," The quarian's voice was quiet. "I had nothing better to do for hours, so I matched it against the voices of every public figure I could get a recording of. There were a lot of them, but I found a match. An asari matriarch called Benezia T'Soni."

"That name sounds familiar," Shepard said. "Wait, wasn't she involved somewhere during the First Contact War?"

"Not the war, the negotiations afterwards. And she nearly screwed it up, too," Udina said sourly. "If the Council hadn't overruled her, we might still be at war, today."

"Wait, what?" Vakarian seemed startled. "Matriarch Benezia's name is well known. Everyone knows that she negotiated the Relay 314 peace treaty. But I never heard anything but praise for her role in ending the hostilities."

"Of course you didn't, detective," Udina made a brief noise that might have passed for a laugh. "Everyone was very careful to make sure it looked like the negotiations ended in perfect harmony, thanks to the wisdom of the great Matriarch Benezia. But people talk and in diplomatic circles, the truth is quite well known, even though we all pretend ignorance. Benezia wanted humans to join the Citadel as an associate species, just like the hanar, or the batarians before they walked out. Of course, that was never going to happen. Not in the political climate of the time. Or even today's for that matter. The only way humanity might possibly have joined was if they'd offered us a seat on the Council, which wasn't going to happen either. Unfortunately, Benezia seemed to have been incapable of understanding that and she stalled the negotiations in an effort to change our minds. That's actually a big part of the reason that Desolas Arterius got killed. We used his execution to break the deadlock. Then the Citadel Council finally woke up to what was happening and forced Benezia to settle for what she could get, instead of hanging on to a pipe-dream. She put a good face on it, but she certainly wasn't happy about it. I remember discussing it with Anita Goyle, our negotiator, and my predecessor as ambassador. She said she was always worried about what Benezia might do. I guess she was right."

"If she's working with Saren, yes," Captain Andersen remarked. "It does explain some things I always wondered about. I remember that time when we had a negotiator in place, but nothing seemed to be happening. Then we had the trial, and Arterius' execution, and all of a sudden things started moving again. Still, from what you say, her actions got Saren's brother killed. I wonder if he understands that."

"I doubt it. Keep in mind that Benezia certainly doesn't see things that way. In her mind, she was doing everything right. It's our fault that we didn't listen to her wisdom. And it's not as though Saren is going to listen to the human version of events."

"I suppose not," Anderson shook his head.

"Exactly. In any case, this changes things. Saren is one person. He has connections, yes, and, as a Spectre, he has access to all kinds of resources, but in the end, he is alone because that's how Spectres operate. Benezia is a different matter. An asari matriarch of her stature can bring political power to bear far beyond anything Saren could hope to achieve, and she can do it on her own, without relying on the support of the Council." Udina took a deep breath. "It seems like we've reached the end of our little game. Word of the shootout at Chora's Den is already spreading and I'm expecting a summons from the Council. When that happens, we will have to tell the Council something. This recording may tip the balance in our favour, but a lot will depend on how the Councillors want to play it. And we need to be prepared. Anderson?"

"Yes, ambassador."

"Contact your friend, Ms Vickers. Tell her I want to meet with her immediately, here at the embassy. Shepard, you and your people will have to stay in the embassy from now on. We cannot afford for you to be arrested by C-Sec on account of your recent actions."

Shepard nodded. "I understand. But how do we communicate with the Council? That was supposed to go through the consort, but if I cannot go to her, it won't work. Unless you want me to call her from the embassy."

"Absolutely not," Udina shook his head. "There is no telling who might be listening in. the embassy comms are supposed to be secure, emphasis on supposed, but I have no idea what hers are like. Soon, things will come out in public, but we need to contain the flow of information as long as we can. As for informing the Council, there are several options. For one thing, I expect that Detective Vakarian here will be making a report to the turian Councillor soon."

Vakarian nodded stiffly. Udina continued "I cannot tell you what to say to him, Detective. I can only ask you to keep in mind how bad things can get. Commander Shepard may not be fully aware of it, but the people back home are becoming impatient. I'm under increasing pressure from the General Assembly, as well as the United Systems Military, to start a diplomatic and political offensive. To throw the blame on the Council for insisting that we left Eden Prime undefended, for not dealing with the geth centuries ago. For, well, for anything and everything really. Even the handful of people that know about Saren's involvement are beginning to insist that we do something, anything. Soon, I'll have to act and the Councillors will have to choose between disowning Saren or denouncing the recording as a fake. If they choose the first, their prestige will take a hit. The latter, and we may end up at war. Either way, the damage to interspecies relationships may well be irreparable."

"I understand that," Vakarian said. "But-"

"Good. Now, unfortunately, we still haven't solved the fundamental problem that we've had from the start. Even without the Shadow broker's help, I think we can pretty much guarantee that Saren will hear what happened to Fist, if he hasn't already. The question is, how will he react? I will have to find a compromise that allows the Councillors to save face, that stops the United Systems from invading Citadel Space, and all of that without spooking Saren into going into hiding for the next decade, while still creating a situation where we have sufficient access to Citadel Space to track him down there if we have to. I hope you all appreciate the balancing act I have to perform." He looked around the room. "What, no smart remarks? Excellent. Fortunately, or unfortunately, depending on how things work out, the Councillors themselves are no strangers to this kind of manoeuvre. So, I strongly, and I mean _strongly_ , recommend that you inform Sparatus of what I just said about people getting impatient."

"Of course."

"Alright, that is one way information can flow. We can also use Ms Vickers to talk to Shaira and pass more information through that conduit. In particular, the issue with Benezia. Fortunately, Benezia's credit with the Council is low, has been ever since she nearly botched the negotiations. So, no matter her stature among the asari in general, I don't think Tevos will spend much time or effort protecting her. Still, it's a delicate situation. Ideally, we want the asari to disown her _before_ we launch accusations against her. But, again, _not_ before we have her and Saren in our sights."  
He turned back toward Tali. "We also need to make sure that you remain safe until we present our data to the Council. Don't worry," Udina smiled thinly. "Our deal stands. I will ensure that you can leave the station. But not before you have testified. This evidence will look far more convincing if we can present the source as well. In the meantime, there can be no leaks from this embassy, other than the ones we are feeding. Shepard, remember what I said about Harkin? How much does he know, exactly?"

"Know for certain? Not all that much, but enough to connect the dots. I'll talk to Harkin," Shepard said. "He may be a snake, but he isn't stupid. I think I can convince him that in this case discretion is the better part of survival." **  
**

"Make sure he understands that, Commander, or you may have to back that threat up."

Shepard nodded.

"Well then, I suggest that you go and make your report, Detective Vakarian. The rest of you, stay here, do what you need to do while I go and make a few reports of my own."

He looked around the room. "As far as diplomacy goes, this is the end-game, people. After this, I suspect we will either be at war, or we'll be turning Commander Shepard here lose on an unsuspecting Galaxy. I honestly don't know what will be more destructive."

 **!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-**

 **A/N:** Yes, why _didn't Tali contact the human embassy? I had not given it much thought until I started writing this scene, but it is a good question. After all, the humans are rather more likely to listen to information about the attack on Eden Prime than the Council (who in canon just don't listen, period). I'm not a hundred per cent happy with my own explanation here, but it's the best I could come up with, and it works better in my universe than in canon, where humans have become integrated into Galactic society. (In 'The sky is falling', the engineer discusses how they hired quarian engineers for zero-g and vacuum work at Terra Nova, so there was at least some interaction between humans and quarians. In my universe there is basically none.)_ **  
**


	18. The final moves

**I own neither AvP or Mass Effect**

* * *

 **Human embassy**

"I must say, things have certainly been interesting since you arrived, Shepard," Harkin grinned. "Four gunfights in one day? You must have set something of a record. And now we need a safe space for a quarian? That's a new one."

"Yes, I know." Shepard hesitated. "A word to the wise, Harkin. What's happening is going to get very big, and probably very ugly, with a lot of angry people looking for scapegoats. If anything that happened in the embassy leaks out before the ambassador wants it to leak, there's going to be hell to pay. Make sure, you're in the clear and that doesn't happen."

Harkin nodded, all trace of humour gone. "Don't worry about me, Shepard. My mother didn't raise no fools. I'm not going to get caught on the wrong side when all this blows up. Information may be worth a lot of money, but, eh, that ain't no good if you're not alive to spend it."

 **-0-0-0-**

 ** **Councillors' chambers****

For once, all three Councillors had cleared their schedule for the meeting. It was a measure of the scale of the problem they faced.

"Benezia." Tevos buried her head in her hands and was silent for a moment. "Of all the people in the galaxy, they're going after Benezia."

"The question is, do we believe them?" Valern objected. "Or should we consider the possibility that their evidence has been faked."

"How?" Tevos shook her head. "They could have faked the recording, yes. Perhaps even beyond the ability of our people to detect it. But they could not fake the quarian. Are you really suggesting that they hired a quarian to run around the station while being shot at by mercenaries? Mercenaries that would also have to be on the humans' payroll for that to work! And they would have had to predict that Sparatus' pet detective would be in a position to witness what happened. Otherwise, they'd be wasting their time."

"True, but that was not my question," Valern said. "I didn't ask if the recording was faked. I asked whether we believe it has been faked. That is not the same thing."

"Very subtle," Sparatus said sourly. "And suppose we don't believe it's genuine. Let us suppose that we believe it to be a fake. Then we can denounce the humans when they present it. Not too difficult, considering that the source is a quarian. But what happens next? Are you ready for a war with the United Systems? Because that would become a distinct possibility."  
He thought for a moment. "As I see it, there are four possibilities. One, the recording is real and we accept that. Two, it is real, but we deny it. Three, it is a fake, but we accept it as real, and four, it is a fake and we denounce it. In the first case, we lose face over the behaviour of a Spectre, but it will not cripple us as long as we are seen to be taking action. The main problem would be that the human ambassador is right. Saren would disappear, perhaps for years and he might strike again at any moment. In particular, the next strike might be against us, rather than the humans. Benezia would have more trouble staying hidden, but she could easily flee into the Terminus and hide behind a wall of mercenaries, which would be almost as bad. We'd have to launch a military expedition to dig her out, or stand by while the humans do so. If the recording is fake, and we denounce it as such, well, I doubt the humans would go to war under those circumstances, but I agree with Tevos: It would have required immense effort on behalf of the humans to orchestrate this. I spoke with Detective Vakarian at length. He has no doubt that the humans are sincere. The only open question, as far as he is concerned, is the possibility that the quarians fabricated the recording."

"Possibly," Valern said. "But again, unlikely. They would have had little time to do so. Besides, what would their motive be? They are in no position to ally themselves with the humans, so human gratitude would mean little to them. And I doubt they care enough about Saren or Benezia to want to harm either."

"But perhaps they want to distract us all from the fact that it was the geth that carried out the attack," Tevos said, sounding almost hopeful.

"Possibly," Valern repeated. "But the timing still works against that theory. A recording good enough to fool our own people, or STG, would not be easy to create and they had at most a day or so before they had to set this plan in motion. Besides, this distraction would discredit a Spectre, alienating us. That seems rather counter-productive. Besides, the humans were looking into Saren before this quarian appeared. What is our theory then? That the humans and the quarians independently decided to frame the same individual? That they somehow cooperated to do so for unknown reasons? Or that the quarians somehow heard that the humans were going after Saren and decide to capitalize on that within a few days? It just doesn't work out once you consider the ramifications."

"Indeed," Sparatus nodded stiffly. "It is almost a pity. Blaming the quarians, whether justified or not, would solve many problems. At the very least, it would buy as time. But as long as the humans are convinced that their evidence is genuine, we still face the possibility that they will take military action against us. Are we willing to risk that?"

"You're in a better position to answer that question than Valern or I, Sparatus," Tevos sounded more like her usual self. "It has been twenty-five years since the Hierarchy confronted the humans. In terms of current capabilities, how certain are you of victory, if it comes to open warfare?"

"Assuming that the Asari Republics and the Salarian Union support us and that we can conduct the war in whatever way we think is best? We can achieve victory. The humans have increased their military strength since the Relay 314 incident, yes, but not enough that they can successfully fight us if we fully commit ourselves. We now have fighter carriers of our own to counter them in space, which levels the playing field. On top of that, they have not produced dreadnoughts of their own, which arguably puts them at a disadvantage, and our combined fleets outnumber them significantly. Fighting them planetside would be more problematic, but if all we care about is achieving total victory we wouldn't need to. Their ground forces are good, yes, but they cannot stand up to orbital bombardment. The questions you should ask are: How long would it take? How much would it cost? What will our position be versus the Terminus warlords and the batarians when it is all over? With the geth lose in the Galaxy we should probably wonder about them as well."

"And the answers to that?"

Sparatus shook his head. "Assuming that they fight to the end, to the point where we can demand unconditional surrender in the ruins of their homeworld? It would take years; the estimated costs would be in the hundreds of millions of lives with proportional economic damage; and by the time the war was over, we'd no longer be in a position to hold off anyone. We'd have to invite the batarians back in and give them a position on the Council just to stop them from invading us, which they almost certainly would under those circumstances."

"So, our victory wouldn't actually be one."

"No. The humans have a term for this: Mutually Assured Destruction. A strategic situation where open conflict between two factions is guaranteed to be the end for both, no matter how the war proceeds. In this particular instance, our destruction would be delayed, but it would come in the end. Speaking of which, I should also add that the entire estimate is still based on the assumption that there are things that neither we nor the humans would actually be willing to do."

"Such as," Valern asked.

"Such as putting engines on asteroids and dropping them onto garden worlds. Such as deploying biological weapons into atmospheres. Such as saturation bombardments with thermonuclear weapons, rather than mass effect weaponry. To put it frankly, a lot of our analysts are in doubt as to whether those assumptions are true. The humans demonstrated on Torfan that they are at least willing to consider nuclear bombardment as an option and according to the history they shared with us they used nuclear weapons against each other during an early war. What will they do if we start pressing them? And what will we do, when our worlds start burning? The Krogan Rebellions show that people will go to extremes when pushed."

"And if it comes to that?"

Sparatus shook his head and walked over to the window, from where he could look out along the arms of the Citadel.

"We played out the worst-case scenario as a wargame. According to the results, it would go as follows: Our fleet presses through to Arcturus and takes out the USM headquarters. At that point, the humans panic and activate a pre-existing plan, which they almost certainly have. Human ships are dispatched with closed orders on a one-way mission. The Citadel, Palaven, Thessia, Surkesh, they all come under attack. Instead of mass accelerators, they launch nuclear weapons in a desperate attempt at intimidation. At least some of those get through. The initial body count is estimated at half a billion. We retaliate and hit Earth, as well as some of their garden world and terraformed colonies inflicting a similar death toll.  
At that point, there would be a short pause in the fighting as both sides try to regroup, but they will not be able to. With such a high death toll, short-term recovery becomes impossible. Hundreds of millions more will starve to death as their support infrastructure breaks down. The humans will be hit harder because many of their older colonies are situated on marginal planets and rely on outside support, but in the end, that is academic. With their civilizations crumbling behind them, military personnel will throw themselves into battle, trying desperately to achieve victory while there is still anything left that's worth fighting for. All restraints will be thrown off and a tide of destruction marches in both directions. By then the body count will be in the billions.  
The batarians will get caught up in it as both sides try to eliminate them before they can take advantage. Terminus warlords and pirates will enter our space, scavaging what is left of our worlds, but that will only draw them in as well and the Terminus goes up in flames. That will draw in the quarians and possibly the geth. As resupply and repairs become impossible, the fleet movements will come to a halt. Fighting will increasingly be done by irregular forces, using improvised weaponry. We have more commercial ships, the human ships are bigger, no one knows where the balance would end up. As cargo ships are drawn into the fighting, the last remnant of an infrastructure in space disappears. That's when organised warfare stops."

"And in the end?" The look on Tevos' face told Sparatus she already knew.

"In the end, civilization as we know it will have ceased to exist. Tens of billions die planetside for lack of food, medical supplies, or because their worlds have simply become uninhabitable, That's where we stopped the simulation. There is no way of telling if any of our species would ever recover or we would go the way of the protheans. Honestly, by that stage, I'm not even sure it matters. Certainly, none of us would be alive to see it."

His talon twitched in the turion equivalent of a shrug. "That is the absolute worst-case scenario. I'm not saying it's likely. Unfortunately, the fact that the possibility exists would hamper any attempt at a decisive campaign. We would end up trying to fight a war while constantly second-guessing ourselves and holding back from any move that would push the humans to desperation. Most likely they would end up doing the same. That complicates matters. Under those circumstances, what the humans call 'limited warfare', we could end up with a stalemate that lasts decades while attrition wears us all down, and then we come back to my original scenario. Yes, in the long run, we could win this, simply because of strength in numbers, but the cost would be enormous and we would end up weakened, perhaps beyond recovery."

"So, we have to come up with a solution that keeps the humans from doing something foolish, while at the same time avoiding anything that causes Saren and Benezia to go into hiding. And, all of this without speaking directly with the human ambassador." Tevos shook her head. "I sympathize with him. It is, indeed, a balancing act."

"And one we have to perform quickly," Valern said. "Thanks to this Shepard's rampage, the news is spreading fast. People are demanding answers."

 **-0-0-0-**

 **Human embassy**

"Congratulations, Shepard. You're moving up in the world."

Shepard raised an eyebrow.

"You get to speak to the Citadel Council in person. Not only do they want to hear about the events on Eden Prime, but they would also like some explanations for what the media are now calling 'The Battle for Chora's Den'."

"I see." Shepard shrugged. "I suppose it was inevitable. But how do I get to the Council unseen? If you meeting them in private is enough to set off suspicion, what are Saren, or this Benezia, going to think when some mid-level human officer gets a private audience?"

"Oh, there will be nothing private about this, Commander," Udina said grimly. "You misunderstood me. This will not be a private audience. You're going to make your report in public. The big audience chamber no less."

"Wait, what?" Shepard gaped at him for a moment. "But that would put the Council on the spot, just like you said. Either they agree with us and Saren goes into hiding, or they don't believe us, and we're looking at a possible war."

"Exactly, Commander."

 **-0-0-0-**

 **C-Sec Headquarters**

"This, Detective Vakarian, is an official summons to appear before the Council where you will have the opportunity to explain why you not only allowed a human and a krogan to launch an assault on a nightclub but actively participated in a gunfight that left a score of people dead. Apparently, the Councillors are actually interested in hearing your excuses. I am not."  
Executor Palin looked up from his monitor for the first time. "You may consider yourself placed on administrative leave until such time that our internal investigation into your conduct has been concluded. At which time, I have no doubt that your leave of absence will become permanent. You can go now." He turned back to his display.

Garrus hesitated, then decided it was not worth the effort to try and argue his case. He turned around and left. It was not as though it was unexpected. The best he could hope for was that Councillor Sparatus would formally sanction his activities, at which point any internal C-Sec investigation automatically became a dead-end. Under the circumstances, it seemed the least that the Councillor could do, but then again, with politicians, there were no guarantees.

As he left C-Sec headquarters, someone fell in step beside him.

"Let's keep walking, Detective."

Garrus glanced aside.

"What is this, Quentius? I'm not in the mood for more politics."

"I'm sure you're not, Vakarian. Unfortunately, as Councillor Sparatus personal assistant, I cannot avoid politics. And today, neither can you. There are a few things you should be aware of before you testify, tomorrow morning."

 ** **-0-0-0-****

 **Flux, upper Wards**

It was late, but Flux never closed, which was a good thing, especially for someone who desperately needed a drink.

"They're insane," Anderson said with absolute conviction. "The whole point of this was to keep it a secret. Instead, Udina just got the call. He, Shepard, that quarian, they all have to show up in the audience chamber first thing tomorrow morning. There will be cameras from the news, and any number of live witnesses. Saren and Benezia will know within the hour."

"Oh, absolutely," Vickers nodded. "In fact, by now they probably know that Shepard will be testifying before the Council. But remember what I said, Saren was going to find out that you were on to him anyway. By now, I'm sure he is aware the Shepard hit Chora's Den and took out Fist. That's enough to warn him anyway. The only question remaining is whether he'll go into hiding."

"Which probably depends on whether the Council believes us. So, it might actually be best to pretend we don't have any evidence."

"Maybe, but that might look suspicious, too. After all, if you don't have any evidence, why did Shepard go after Fist in the first place? There has to be some connection and it cannot just be that you personally hate Saren. At the very least you have to show something from Eden Prime that put you on Saren's trail."

"Which won't be enough to convince the Council," Anderson sighed. "Which is good in that it will probably not force Saren underground, but neither will we get the opportunity to hunt him down in Citadel Space, so we'll be facing a riot back home. Still the same Catch-22. Why did they have to force this public meeting?"

"What did you expect? Shepard has left a trail of bodies all over the Citadel. The Council has to do something in public, or everyone will want to know why. Anyway," Vickers drained her glass and typed an order for a new drink into the table's haptic display. "I just had a long discussion with the consort. Apparently, things are a bit more complicated than they seem."

 ** **-0-0-0-****

 **Human embassy**

"They want me to do what?"

"I'm sure you heard me the first time, Commander."

"Yes, I did. I just-" Shepard looked from Udina to Anderson. "I just cannot decide if there's method to their madness or not. I mean, it could work, I suppose. At least, in the short run and assuming that we can pull it off convincingly. But still, we're talking about a level of cooperation here that's unheard of. I mean, has this ever even been attempted?"

"A few times," Udina said dryly while giving Anderson a quick look. "It usually doesn't work very well."

"And with this much hanging in the balance, they want to give it another try. Or I should say, they want _me_ to give it another try."

"No, they don't want you to try. They want you to make it work." Udina snorted. "Are you looking for sympathy, Commander? I'm the one who has to persuade Earth to go along with this, while Captain Anderson gets the joyful experience of persuading his superiors at Arcturus HQ to fall in line.

 ** ** **-0-0-0-******

 **The Presidium Tower. The next day.**

There were a lot of eyes on the small group as they made their way across the large open hall toward the audience area.

"What's with all the staircases," Shepard asked. "Seriously, we just went up hundreds of meters by elevator and now they make us climb stairs."

"It impresses people with the power of the Council," Udina answered. "Think of it as their throne room and you get the idea."

"And it would make for a nice defensive position," Williams muttered. "Seriously, ma'am, look at the angles down those stairs. If anyone tries to attack the Councillors, they get funnelled into this kill-zone as they try to climb the stairs."

"And then they get a little surprise at the end," Udina snorted. "Don't you ever watch the news, Williams? The Councillors are never in this hall in person. They appear as holograms. A further reminder of how far above it all they are."

"Ridiculous posturing," Shepard shook her head. "If you have real power, you don't have to play games like this. Let me guess, the holograms are bigger than life as well?"

"Of course, Commander. Of course."

By now they were one level up from where the elevator had stopped. At the top of the stairs, Shepard could see Detective Vakarian waiting. It looked like all the players for their little drama were in place.

"Commander Shepard?" The voice was soft and only slightly distorted by translation. Shepard turned and saw an asari, dressed inconspicuously, standing at the foot of the next flight of stairs.

"Yes?"

"I have a message for you, Commander."

Shepard's eyes narrowed slightly. "Have we met before?"

She smiled. "Only briefly, Commander. I'm in the employ of a friend of yours."

"A friend? Ah, yes. Now I remember, Nelyna isn't it? I didn't recognize you in this outfit. The Consort considers me a friend? I am honoured."

"As you should be, Commander. But that is another matter. She told me to relay a message. Commander, there will be a great deal of interest in this meeting. The 'Butcher of Torfan' appearing before the Council? That's a show nobody wants to miss." She held up her hand to stop Shepard from interrupting. "Commander, the Consort asked me to say that when the time comes, the people must have their show. They must see the 'Butcher'. Not you. They must see the 'Butcher'."

She turned and walked away.

"What the hell was that about?" Captain Anderson said.

"I'm not sure." Shepard shook her head. "But I suspect we're about to find out."

* * *

 **A/N**

 _Sparatus spreading joy and fun wherever he goes. But he is right. This is a real possibility if you take warfare to the extreme. The more advanced a society, the more dependent it is on a complicated infrastructure. If enough of that gets destroyed, you get a domino effect. And in this case, both sides have already proven that they are willing to go to extremes. Humans used nukes against Torfan (and each other), and, of course, the Council has historically used bioweapons against the krogan._


	19. Recordings

**I don't own either AvP or Mass Effect**

 **!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-**

The news broadcast had been running for nearly half an hour when they got to the good parts.

 _"Eden Prime was a major victory. We are one step closer to our goals." The recording stopped and for a moment there was silence. Then-_

 _"And that is it?" The holographic image of Councillor Tevos asked coldly. "A recording of a sentence. And for this Commander Shepard has torn a path of destruction through this station. And for this, and some recording that you claim to have obtained on Eden Prime, you expect this Council to hand over a Spectre to you. Tell me, ambassador, have you taken leave of your senses?"_

 _"I do not appreciate your tone, Councillor, or your choice of words," Ambassador Udina snapped back. "What we have here is evidence, conclusive evidence that one of your Spectres is engaged in a campaign of terrorism against the Alliance of United Systems. Now, we can stand here and argue about the nature of this evidence, or its source, but I do not believe that that would be a productive use of your time or mine. Order Saren Arterius to return to the Citadel so he can answer for his actions. Then we will see whether or not he is guilty."  
_

 _"Based on what?" Tevos' voice sounded incredulous. "What you call evidence, ambassador amounts to nothing; in fact, it amounts to less than nothing. A few words that you claim were taken from a translation implant. An implant that we cannot examine because the person it belongs to has conveniently disappeared. Have we not gone down this road before? I see that your captain Anderson has joined us here. I remember him well. Hardly surprising, considering that he appeared here once before under near-identical circumstances. Tell me, Captain, did you honestly believe your second attempt to smear the reputation of a Council agent would fare any better than the first?"_

 _The figure of Captain Anderson, standing next to the human ambassador, moved as he made to answer, but Udina held up a hand to silence him. In any case, it didn't seem as though the asari Councillor was interested in hearing a response._

 _"And based on that, just that, you authorized this... this rabid varren that you call an officer to go on a murder spree throughout the Citadel! I could laugh if it were not for the fact that so many people died at her hands. You come here with accusations, you demand a trial of a Council agent. Yet the real criminal is standing right beside you. Frankly, ambassador, I am strongly considering to revoke the diplomatic protection that you extended her and have Citadel Security arrest her."_

 _"Go ahead. I was getting bored anyway." The third human, clearly Commander Shepard, spoke up for the first time.  
_

 _"DO NOT SPEAK!" For a moment Tevos seemed genuinely in danger of losing her composure but centuries of diplomatic experience allowed her to control herself. "You are fortunate that we have a higher regard for the value of diplomatic protocol than you have, Commander. Because that is all that stands between you and a death sentence. But to continue our examination of the evidence, let us look at the result of your actions. A single sentence, recorded on an omnitool, copied, or so you claim from a geth datacore. A datacore, which, once again, we cannot examine ourselves. Do you call that evidence? I honestly cannot make up my mind whether you're a fool, or whether you think we would be foolish enough to accept this at face value."  
_

 _"Considering the origin of this so-called 'evidence', I would say it is less foolishness and more outright dishonesty," Councilor Sparatus added. "Hardly surprising, considering the source. A clever trick, really, to distract us from the fact that once again it is the quarians that have endangered this galaxy through the creation of the geth."_

 _"It was not the quarians that attacked us, Councillor," Udina retorted. "It is not the quarians that used a biological weapon that has left a colony in ruins and thousands of our people dead. Nor was it the quarians that insisted that we leave a major colony undefended and wide open to attack. That was your doing. Curious, I'd say, that a Council Spectre orchestrated an attack on a colony that was left vulnerable on the insistence of this very Council. Perhaps that is why you will not consider the evidence in front of you. People might wonder I this was not your plan all along."_

 _"Only a fool would even consider that a possibility," Councillor Valern answered. "The same sort of fool that would believe this so-called 'conclusive evidence' of yours. This biological weapon you speak off has only ever been found a board a human ship. Are we now to believe that the geth have obtained it independently? Or should we perhaps look once again at humanity? Tell me, ambassador, how many defence laboratoria were there on Eden Prime and what kind of projects did they run? Is it nor far more likely that these creatures were kept on Eden Prime, in some research laboratory, and simply escaped during the attack? To me, that sounds like a rather more believable explanation."  
_

 _"I agree." Tevos nodded. "In any case, fools will always engage in conspiracy theories. That is is the privilege of the foolish. But this Council will not indulge in such nonsense and we will certainly not shape policy based on it. No ambassador, we will not call in Saren on such a ridiculous charge. His work for this Council is too important to be interrupted in such a fashion and it would set a dangerous precedent to indulge your whims in such a fashion. As to your ridiculous accusations against this Council, no-one forced your people to settle on Eden Prime. They knew the restrictions and the risk that went with it and they went ahead anyway. That is on them. And, I suspect, so is that biological weapon you talk about."  
_

 _"I see," Udina's voice was once again calm. "Then it is my duty to inform you that the Alliance of United Systems no longer considers itself bound by the demilitarization agreement regar_ _ding Eden Prime. From now on, we will maintain a permanent fleet presence over the colony, as well as patrols in the nearby systems. We will NOT be caught off-guard again." A hint of mockery crept into his voice. "And I recommend that you inform whoever is in charge of that little fleet you sent out there to back off. Or something unfortunate might happen to him or his fleet."_

 _There was a moment of silence. The Councillors looked at one another. When Sparatus spoke, it was clear even to a non-turian that he was seething with anger._

 _"I understand, Commander Shepard, that you promised this... quarian safe passage into the Terminus. I strongly suggest that you go ahead and keep that promise, personally. I want you, and your ship, gone from the Citadel." The holographic image of the Councillor moved slightly. "Detective Vakarian, please escort Commander Shepard to her ship. Now!"_

 _A turian stepped into the frame of the recording, approaching Shepard. She whirled around._

 _"Keep your claws to yourself, turian, or you'll lose them." She turned back to face the Councillors. "Go ahead then, protect your little pet. But be sure to warn him. Tell him to keep looking over his shoulder. Because one day he'll look, and I'll be standing right behind him. And it will be the last thing he ever sees."_

 _With that parting shot, she turned and stalked away, the turian C-Sec officer following close behind._

The recording stopped.

 **-0-0-0-**

 **Deep Space**

Saren's mandibles clicked softly. "I'll be waiting, Commander Shepard. I'll be waiting." He turned to his companion. "It seems we have a little more time to complete our plans."

Benezia nodded. "Look at them: They have all the evidence they need and yet they cannot see it. Between Tevos' believe in her own intellectual superiority and Sparatus' contempt for quarians, the humans never stood a chance. I almost feel sorry for them, having to argue with those fools. Almost. But then, it has always been this way. The Citadel Council attracts people that believe in maintaining the status quo, people unwilling to take risks, even intellectual risks. Is it any wonder that the power of the Council has eroded over the millennia? Still, we would be wise to move as quickly as possible. The humans will come after us, and the Council will never oppose them in the Traverse."

"Indeed. You understand what that means?"

"Of course." Benezia sighed. "Just have Liara brought to me as soon as possible. I could wish things had not come to this, but we'll need her expertise. I'm sure that I can make her see reason."

 **-0-0-0-**

 **Unknown Planet**

"It seems that the plan remains intact."

"Such as it is."

"True," The first speaker conceded. "There have been some improvisations, but under the circumstances, we will still get the result we were looking for."

"The result _you_ are looking for." The second speaker made an angry gesture. "Do not pretend that you speak for everyone. Yes, many agreed to go ahead with this plan of yours. And, yes, if it succeeds it may well be the beginning of a new era. But there are concerns, many concerns. Do you really believe the humans will just accept their dismissal? If so, you understand nothing about them. This will only make them more determined to find Saren. And if they do, if they capture him alive, they will understand that he had help. And once they know, they will never rest until they have found us."

"And, so?" The first speaker scoffed. "Let them come to us. They will find nothing but death. A good hunter knows how to lure in his prey."

"A good hunter does not let his prey into his own backyard before he starts the hunt!" A third voice cut in. "You are both fools, playing your little games. No, do _not_ interrupt me. Using Saren as a vector to introduce the Kainde Amedha was a good plan, but you should have made sure you could direct his actions. Instead, you were content to observe from a distance and now there is no way for you to control him without breaking cover. And you, when you decided to use the humans to take your petty revenge on your agent on the Citadel, did you ever think of the consequences? Now you complain what the humans might learn from Saren. A shame you did not think of that earlier. If the humans discover us, the rest of the galaxy will soon know as well. Contemplate for one second what that would mean. The Yautja have not preserved secrecy for thousands of years, just to let you throw it all away."

She made a short, angry gesture. "But that is enough. Recriminations can wait. Now, it's time to re-establish control. How good is our surveillance of the humans? Will we know when they make their move.?"

"We will." The second speaker sat down. "The Shadow Broker network still has a representative on the Citadel, who has already provided information to the humans. They will undoubtedly approach him again. Especially, now that they believe that they and the Broker have found a common enemy in Saren. We have also planted an agent on Shepard. We cannot be certain yet, whether that will be successful. Human xenophobia may prevent him from staying in close proximity. But Shepard herself seems open to working with non-humans and may decide to continue the collaboration. In particular, if she has to hunt Saren down outside human-controlled space.

"Good. have him stay as close to Shepard as possible. As for you," She turned toward the first speaker. "Start alerting the clans. We will need hunting parties ready to interfere should the humans get too close to Saren."

"That should be no problem. There are plenty of Unblooded who will be eager to participate." He laughed briefly. "I think we will need a ruling, though. What status shall be conferred on the hunter that kills the Butcher of Torfan?"

"Frankly, I don't care. Ask an Adjudicator to decide. As I said before, we need to re-establish control. That means leaving nothing to chance. I want Elite Hunters standing by as well. By all means, let the Unblooded have a shot at it, but if they fail, we need some insurance."

"There may be an alternative," The second speaker mused. "There are other people who remember the Butcher of Torfan less than fondly. Given the means to enact revenge, they may be able to solve that particular problem for us."

"And you can provide them with the means to do so?"

"I believe so. I believe we have a piece of bait that will draw Shepard in and convince whoever we give it to, to act."

"Then be ready to use it. I want this over and done with."

 **-0-0-0-**

 **Praesidium docks, the Citadel**

"Well, that was an interesting experience," Captain Anderson remarked as they walked out of the elevator.

"Indeed." Shepard nodded. "Time to stop playing politics and get back to work. Mr Pressly?"

"Ma'am." The navigation officer was standing by the docking bridge.

"Is everything ready?"

"Yes, ma'am. Normandy is ready to go, as soon as Captain Anderson transfers command to you." He glanced at the silent figure of the quarian girl standing a little to the side, then looked past them to where the turian Detective was standing. "Ma'am, if I may ask-"

"Not yet, Mr Pressly. Not yet. There are still quite a few things we need to discuss but this isn't the place or the time. Just inform the crew that we will be departing within the next few hours."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Initial destination will be Relay 314."

"Understood ma'am. And from there?"

Shepard smiled. "From there we're going to play a game. It's called 'Where in the Galaxy is Saren Arterius?'"

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 **A/N:** _First of all, happy 2019._ _A very short chapter this time, but it worked out that way. Don't worry, the next update is mostly written. It's on the way._


	20. Departure

**I don't own either AvP or Mass Effect  
**

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 **USM Normandy, Praesidium Docks.**

"So, were we convincing?" Andeson asked as they entered the briefing room.

"I believe so," Meredith Vickers answered. "So was the Council. You were angry and belligerent, they were arrogant and dismissive. Exactly the stereotypes everybody expected to see. In particular, what Benezia and Saren would expect to see. It will not last forever, but I think you have bought yourself some time. Mind you, the human public is _not_ going to be happy, though I think Commander Shepard's little outburst may help in that regard. Telling the alien's off and all that."

Shepard shrugged. "People needed to see the Butcher, I gave them the Butcher. Or, at least what everybody expects a Butcher to act like. As for the folks back home, that's up to Udina. With key people in the USM in the know, he believes he can keep things under control, at least for the moment. Mind you, I wonder what the Council promised him in exchange for that much effort, but that's another matter. Meanwhile, we have Council authority to enter Citadel Space if we have to." She jerked her head toward Detective Vakarian, who was standing against the wall. "That's where he comes in."

The turian nodded stiffly. "I can claim Spectre authority for the duration of this mission. Though I should warn you, the moment I do so, news will get out. A Spectre acting publicly is always a hot news item."

"So noted." Shepard sat down and leaned back. "In any case, that's for later worry. For the moment we don't need to use it. I understand, Ms Vickers, that you have a lead on this Benezia character?"

"Yes. Or, rather, on her daughter." Vickers turned her data pad around so they could take a look. It showed an image of a young asari. "Liara T'Soni, one hundred and six years old, which makes her early maiden stage. She is, apparently, a budding archaeologist, who, according to the latest information, joined an expedition to dig up prothean artefacts in the Artemis Tau cluster. I don't know which planet, but there cannot be that many with prothean ruins."

"Do you believe she would be aware of her mother's actions?" Anderson asked. "If not, she may not be much use to us."

Vickers sighed. "Impossible to say. I've met Benezia, though only briefly, but I know nothing about the daughter. Benezia must have had her late in life. That's rare for asari. They usually don't have children once they reach the matriarch stage. Still, even if she doesn't know what her mother has been up to, she may have ways to get into contact with her, which might be helpful to you."

"If she's willing to share them with us," Anderson objected.

"Oh, she'll share them," Shepard said. "Don't worry about that. But there is another issue I'd like to discuss. Just how does this Benezia fit into the scheme of things. Saren's a Spectre. Fine, I think I understand what that entails. But Benezia, from what I understand she's a political figure, but in what way and what kind of power does she wield? From everything I've heard the asari live in democracies. So, she's what? An elected official, senior civil servant?"

There was a snorting noise from Vakarian. "Hardly."

Vickers looked at Shepard. "In the past, she was all of these things, but she's well beyond that now. Benezia is a Matriarch, with a capital M. That means a lot more than just the final stage in an asari's biological development. The Matriarchs effectively control the asari republics, even though they have no official position. But their power is indirect."  
Vickers shrugged. "I'm afraid that when we first started looking into alien government structures people were a little too eager to point out similarities. Inevitable, I suppose, because we tend to think within our own frame of reference. However, it has led to some misconceptions. Yes, technically the asari republics are democracies, but they're democracies in a style that humans largely abandoned as soon as we had to deal with populations larger than a small town.  
When we think 'democracy', what we actually mean is a _representative_ democracy, where people elect leaders and then expect those leaders to make the decisions. The asari republics don't function that way. An asari republic functions like an e-democracy, almost nihilistic. The government is very small, with only a handful of elected leaders, and exists primarily as an executive branch that directs the varies civil service organizations. There is no legislative branch the way we understand it, nor much of a judiciary. Instead, laws are approved by plebiscite. That means that every asari gets to vote a lot, far more often than humans. But they are no different from us. Most of them care little for politics. So, how do they vote? They cannot refuse because each plebiscite needs a minimum number of votes to be valid and the bar for those is usually quite high. If they don't vote, nothing gets done. So, they go looking for advice on how to vote. That's where the matriarchs come in."

"They look for guidance from older asari?"

"Yes. Their culture has a lot of reverence for age and experience. So, while in theory, each asari has a vote, it is more correct to say that each family has a block of votes, directed by the family's matriarchs. If, that is, they have any. Many don't. So they go looking elsewhere for guidance."

"Wait." Shepard frowned. "Many families don't have even one matriarch?"

"No. Look, an asari can live something like a thousand to twelve-hundred years. But in practice, most of them don't make it. Take a typical asari. Somewhere between age 50 and 100, she enters her maiden stage. Now, emotionally, an asari maiden is like a human teenager. Volatile, emotional, and with the judgment of a lemming. However, there are two major differences. For one thing, it lasts much longer. Humans grow out of it in five to ten years. An asari stays a maiden for one or two centuries."

"I see. A lot of time to do something stupid and die."

Vickers nodded. "Exactly! On top of that, human teenagers are still under parental control. An asari maiden isn't. Legally, they're considered adults. Most leave home during that stage. Try to imagine: the mental and emotional equivalent of a bunch of thirteen and fourteen-year-old humans running around unsupervised, with full permission to drink, operate vehicles and basically do anything that any other citizen has a right to do. It's a recipe for disaster. And they're thrill-seekers. They flock toward jobs that contain an element of excitement, or danger. Many will spend some time as exotic dancers in bars. Never the safest of professions. Others join the military or find work as mercenaries. You can imagine how well that works."

"Children running around with guns."

"Basically, yes. And a lot of them get killed before they learn how to do their jobs properly. It's a major check on their population growth. Consider: asari are fertile for hundreds of years, and their gestation period is only about a year. In theory, a single matron could have a hundred children or more. In practice, a lot of asari die before they ever have the chance, which keeps the average number of children per asari down. Not all of them are like that, of course, just like not every human teenager is an idiot. Some just continue their education, or find normal jobs; but still, the majority spend at least a few decades kicking over the traces. Add to that the normal attrition from accidents and diseases and you get some ugly statistics. Now, I don't have exact numbers, but I suspect that about a quarter of the asari that enter maiden stage don't survive it. In fact, some don't want to. They deliberately go looking for death as soon as their matron stage starts. They don't want to grow up."

"An asari Peter Pan," Anderson said. "Forever a child."

Vickers nodded. "Oh, you have no idea how popular that story is among asari."

"You're kidding."

Vickers' lips twisted in a brief smile.

"You're not kidding."

"No. Both the idea of eternal childhood and the warning contained in that story find a lot of resonance among the asari. Incidentally, Commander, you may want to think about what these numbers imply for the asari mother-daughter connection."

"A lot of heartbreak, I would imagine."

"Oh, yes. It's a problem that comes with their longevity anyway. They're used to watching the people they care about die. Because of that, quite a few asari tend to shy away from deep emotional bonds, even with their own children. I don't know about this particular example, but don't expect the T'Soni mother and daughter to have a strong personal connection, just because they are genetically related. Some asari are very close to their children. Others barely acknowledge that they exist.  
In any case. Let's get back to our hypothetical asari. Assume that she survives her maiden stage. Now she is a matron. They are far more sedate, but the phase also lasts much longer: at least five-hundred years. A lot can go wrong during that time. Accidents, disease, you name it. It's not as spectacular as the maiden stage, but there is steady attrition and a lot of them die before they become matriarchs. Again, no precise numbers, but my estimate is that the percentage of matriarchs to the total population varies from less than point one per cent in the newer colonies to at most five per cent on Thessia. Add that to the fact that asari count family only in the maternal line, and a lot of families don't have a single matriarch. So, they go looking for guidance elsewhere. For that matter, quite a few of the matriarchs themselves look around for guidance as well. That's where the other kind of matriarch, the one with the capital M comes in."

"Like this Benezia."

"She's almost an archetype. You see, some asari decide early on that they want to be movers and shakers. Usually, that decision comes during the middle to late maiden stage. Those asari attach themselves to an important, powerful political figure. A capital M Matriarch. For decades, they hang around her. They listen to her teachings and act as her errant girls, bodyguards, even enforcers. Once they reach the matron stage, most of them leave, but by then they are set on their course. They look for government jobs, become diplomats, civil servants, and compete for the few elected positions available in an asari republic. Meanwhile, they promote themselves. They publish articles and books on political subjects. They give speeches, lecture at universities and most of all, they look for allies and followers. They build up a network of people who agree with them, who support them, or owe them favours.  
By the time they reach the matriarch stage, they are embedded within a political machine that revolves around them. Then, once they are matriarchs they get the pay-off. With their support basis firmly established and the added authority that comes with their age, they suddenly find themselves at the head of a vast following. Thousands of asari now look at them for guidance. They are now the new generation of capital M Matriarchs, the ones that everyone, including the normal matriarchs, will follow."

Shepard nodded in understanding. "They control the votes."

"Exactly. Someone like Benezia, who is highly respected even among the other bigshot Matriarchs, can deliver millions of votes in any plebiscite, not just in the Republic where she herself lives, but in many others as well. Which means that all the matrons that manage the day-to-day rule of the Asari Republics will try to court her favour. Imagine the power that comes with that position."

"So much for democracy."

Vickers shrugged. "It's not an unknown system among humans. Every human democracy has had people like this, professional demagogues, union leaders, religious leaders, star reporters, all kinds of celebrities who can sway large numbers of voters and use that to wring concessions from the politicians. That's where the whole concept of endorsements comes in."

"Alright, but what does that mean for me? Should I anticipate interference from the Asari Republics."

"Tough to say. They won't be happy about this. To see a highly respected figure like Benezia publicly condemned will hurt the reputation of all asari. Then again, Benezia's loss is the other Matriarchs' gain. If they smell blood, they will look to pick up her support base, and in private be quite happy that you eliminated her. But that's for the future. For the moment, at the very least Benezia will have her acolytes. Scores, perhaps even hundreds of them. All asari maidens, many with commando training, experience as mercenaries, or both. There will be a number of older asari as well, people who have attached themselves to Benezia permanently and act as her representatives. On top of that, she is personally rich, with a wide range of investments. She will have access to a lot of money, as well as people everywhere who either owe her favours or want her to owe them."

Shepard whistled softly. "Not good. Still, I suppose at least the political part of her power is limited to the Asari Republics or at least Citadel Space. If I can catch her outside that region, we'll just have to deal with her commandos."

"'Just,' she says" Anderson smiled grimly. "Those are the most-feared special forces in Citadel Space. Don't underestimate them, Shepard."

"Oh, I won't, but that's something I'm trained and equipped to deal with. Political pressure, that's a lot tougher to fight." She shook her head. "But that's for the future. Right now, we need a plan of action and for lack of a better lead, I will track down the T'Soni girl. Detective Vakarian here will be along for the ride, which shouldn't be too much of a problem. Basically, we're exchanging one turian Spectre for another. We still have the dextro-aminoacid food left over from Kryiks stay. But we'll have a couple of other guests as well."

"A couple?" Vickers' eyebrows rose. "I understand that the quarian will be travelling with you for at least part of the way, considering you promised her transport home, but-"

"It's more than that," Shepard said. "If all I wanted was to send her back where she came from, I could have put her on a transport and washed my hands of the whole affair. I need insight in the geth, and she's the closest thing to an expert I can find within about ten thousand parsecs. There hasn't really been time to sit down with her and pump her for information. Besides, right now I don't even know what questions to ask. But keeping her on board for more than a few days creates problems. We need to set up a sterile room for her, which is what she and Dr Chakwas are doing right now. Not a lot of space on a frigate, so you can imagine the kind of shoe-horning that will take. As for our other guest, you remember our new krogan buddy, Urdnot Wrex? He's picking up his gear even as we speak."

"You're bringing him along?" This time Vickers seemed actually shocked.

Shepard grinned. "I'm hurting for ground forces. We lost several marines on Eden Prime and we didn't have a full complement, to begin with. Even with Chief Williams joining us, we're still short. Having a big krogan with a big shotgun will make up the difference quite nicely. Plus, he can walk around in places where a group of humans would attract too much attention. Besides," Her grin faded. "I don't trust him."

"You think he was too eager to stick around," Anderson asked.

"A bit. And he had a funny response when he heard that it was Saren I was after. I'm not sure if it was personal or just because Saren pissed of the Shadow Broker. Either way, I'd rather keep Mr Wrex where I can see him. If nothing else, I wouldn't be surprised if the Broker intends to send him after Saren anyway and in that case, I'd rather not have him running around on his own and potentially getting in the way.  
In any case, we'll be having three non-humans on board for the moment. God only knows how the crew will respond. Then again, they managed to deal with Kryik without any incidents, so I suppose we'll be able to get along. One big happy family."

Anderson shook his head somewhat ruefully. "I'd never thought I'd say this, Shepard, but right now I'm almost glad I'm no longer in command. Ah, well. All I can say is 'good luck'. Meanwhile, we'll be keeping an eye on things here. Communication with the Council can go through us, at least for the moment. I'll also be in touch with Arcturus HQ. If you run into more xenomorphs, you'll need the right kind of equipment. In the old days, it was part of our standard kit, but those days are long gone. Still, they should have some of that stuff in storage. There might even be some new toys in the box. There were rumours, back in the day about new prototypes that were being developed, but after the First Contact War, focus changed and I don't know what became of those projects. I'll ask around, see if they have produced anything useful."

Shepard grimaced. "I'll settle for some nice acid neutralizer. We got lucky on Eden Prime that nobody got splashed. I talked to Chakwas, but we have nothing on board to deal with that. At least, nothing we could easily carry with us. I know, the autodoc can probably fix whatever damage it does, but that's only if you can get to it in time."

"That shouldn't be a problem." Anderson rose from his chair. "Well, I guess there is no time like the present. Let's do the transfer of command right now. Then I'll be on my way and you can start getting ready for departure."

 **-0-0-0-**

 **A few hours later**

The airlock was sealed and on the bridge, the docking clamps' control button glowed a bright green, indicating they were ready to be released. All over the ship crew members were at their duty stations. USM Normandy was ready for departure.

A brief tone sounded, indicating that the shipwide intercom had been activated.

"Ladies and gentleman," The voice sounded throughout the ship. "I'll keep this brief. I have some good news, and I have some bad news. Let's start with the good news. For once, the recruitment ads were right. We are about to embark on a journey of high adventure. We will travel the galaxy. We will visit strange new worlds. We will meet exotic new people. And we'll probably end up killing quite a few of them."

In the cargo hold, three non-humans exchanged glances.

"That's all the good news," The voice continued. "Now for the bad news. We are looking for the smallest needle in the biggest haystack ever."

The glances between the aliens turned to confusion.

"We are searching for two individuals, on one ship, who have an entire galaxy to hide in. Now, for the moment we have a lead to track down but make no mistake. If I have to turn over every Godforsaken rock on every Godforsaken planet in this entire Godforsaken galaxy until I find them, that's exactly what I will do. So, I hope that none of you has made plans for the immediate future, because any such plans are now on indefinite hold. Good luck, and happy hunting."

With a click, the intercom shut down.

Shepard looked at the pilot. "Too much?"

"Maybe a little, ma'am."

"Well, giving speeches was never my biggest talent. Release docking clamps, Mr Moreau, and take her out."

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 **A/N  
**

 _A bit of an info dump I'm afraid. One of the things I really liked about ME was the amount of individualism among aliens. None of that one-character-trait-fits-all that you see so often in SciFi. In particular, the asari show enormous variation in emotional responses. Some are the coldest sociopaths you should ever hope not to meet and quite willing to throw their own family under the bus. On the other hand, you have asari breaking down in tears over the death of a partner, centuries earlier. It is really heart-breaking. Try to imagine how much emotional pain someone like that goes through over the centuries.  
_

 _So, yes, Vickers has actually met Liara (See my first story Someone has heard them scream), but only briefly. It's not like they got introduced and it's unlikely she would recognize her face after all this time._

 _Regarding a reviewer's comment: Why do the Predators help Saren, who is a dishonourable criminal by their standards? Simple answer: They don't. Saren is a tool that they're using. As long as the end goal has not been reached, they'll make sure he stays alive. Once that is done, they might kill him to tie off a loose end._ _ _For that matter, they might even count on the xenomorphs to do it for them because sooner or later he'll lose control of them_ , or maybe they'll lock him and Shepard in a room just to see what would happen._


	21. Getting acquainted

**I don't own either AvP or Mass Effect  
**

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 **USM Normandy. in transit to the Artemis Tau cluster**

 _A new volley of rifle fire came out of the dense forest. She heard the thumps as bullets slammed into the corps of her horse. It seemed almost sacrilegious to use the body of the poor animal this way, but there was no other cover. Check your ammunition! Check your ammunition, who are you kidding? A few rounds left in her revolver. A handful of cartridges for her rifle. That was all. They had been shooting for hours, ever since the sun came up. They had piled up enemy corpses all around their perimeter, but it was futile. For every enemy they killed, ten others waited.  
No surrender, nowhere to retreat, and no hope of help. They had heard the rattling of the Maxim guns earlier, indicating that the rest of the column was fighting a battle of its own. There would be no support from them._

 _Movement in the trees. Fire, fire again. She heard a cry behind her. Another man down and they had been so few, to begin with. She reached for another cartridge, but came up empty. Rifle useless. Revolver again, but even there she was nearly empty and the enemy must know it too. They weren't stupid. They knew how long they'd been fighting and they could guess how much ammunition anyone, even on horseback, could reasonably carry._

 _Around her, the guns of the others fell silent as well. For the first time in hours, there was silence._

 _Another volley from the treeline. This time, there were no return shots. They were all out of ammunition. Movement, then some more. The enemy was probing, trying to confirm what they must suspect. More and more warriors emerged from the forest. Would there be another call for surrender? Probably not. By now they knew the answer.  
_

 _A cry, an answering shout from a thousand throats. The enemy charged. No more gunfire. Spears would be the final arbiters. She grabbed her rifle again, ready to swing it as a club. the first warrior faulted the barrier of dead horses. She swung her rifle, knocking him off balance, but there was no time to finish him off, because two, three more followed. All around her the others were struggling fighting impossible odds._

 _She cried out in pain as a spear's blade slid along the side of her skull, tearing a deep gash. She turned around to face her attacker, blood streaming down her face, but at the same time, a second spear slammed into her back. She fell, trying feebly to swing her rifle, but her arms lacked strength. She was tired, so very tired._

"FUCK! Fuck fuck fuck!" Shepard shook her head, trying to clear her mind. This was ridiculous. Now she was having nightmares of dying in battles where she wasn't even sure which battle it was supposed to be and she sure as hell wasn't going to look it up. That might just give her mind more fun ideas. Not for the first time, she considered talking to Dr Chakwas. There might be some prescription she could give to ensure a few nights of uninterrupted rest. Then again, there was a risk involved with that. Doctor-patient confidentiality was one thing, but if Chakwas believed that the commanding officer had become unstable, she had a duty to ensure that that officer was relieved of command. Besides, Shepard had spent the months following Torfan going through repeated psychiatric evaluation, while a team of shrinks tried their utmost to prove that she'd either already been insane before the attack, or become insane halfway through. It had not been a pleasant experience and she had no intention of repeating it.

No, that was definitely not the way to go.

Coffee. Coffee solved everything. Or, at least, coffee made the problems go away for a little while, so did the usual business of reading reports, filling out forms and all the other small tasks that had to be done. By the time Shepard had some free time to move around the ship an check on the various departments she had recovered her equilibrium; mostly.

 **-0-0-0-**

A quick stop on the bridge, to check that the ship was, in fact, still moving. As she made her way back, Lieutenant Pressly approached, holding out a datapad.

"Status reports, ma'am. All departments functioning within operational parameters."

"I see." Shepard looked up. There really wasn't any reason for Pressly to hand her this in person. He could just have sent her an electronic copy. She kept moving, making a show off studying the datapad while Pressly walked with her until they were out of earshot of the rest of the crew.

"Alright, Lieutenant, what's the problem?"

Pressly looked down for a moment. "I'm worried ma'am. Not about the ship, everything seems to be working, even with the new drive core. But it's the crew. People are muttering, ma'am. I don't like to mention names, but-"

"Then don't," Shepard said. "As long as it's just something you happened to hear we can ignore it as idle talk. If you officially report them to me... No, let's not turn this into a court martial yet. So, just anonymous mutterings. No names, just some voices. What are they saying? Or, should I guess? Aliens on board."

"Yes, ma'am. They're not happy about it. That Spectre, Kryik, that was one thing. He had a clear reason to be on board and it was strictly for one trip. But now there are three, and we don't know for how long. I've got to be honest here, Commander. I cannot say I blame our people for being nervous about it."

"I understand, Mr Pressly," Shepard said. "But, to put it bluntly, we don't have all that much of a choice. Sooner or later, we'll need access to Citadel Space. Real access, not the kind where you have to fill out a dozen forms in triplicate every time you enter a star system and then follow a prescribed course to a prepared docking bay where a welcoming committee of a hundred bureaucrats stands ready with another thousand forms that need to be filled out. The price for that is a turian on board. I cannot even blame the Council for that. Would you let one of their ships into USM territory unsupervised?"

"No, ma'am."

"That's what I thought. So, we're stuck with him. As for the others, we'll need someone who know these geth and our new quarian girlfriend is the only person I've ever met to qualify even remotely as an expert. There might be someone in Military Intelligence, or in R&D, who has studied those things, but I doubt it and I certainly don't have time to go looking for them. So, that's that. As for the krogan," Shepard shrugged. "Frankly, I trust him the least. But there is such a thing as keeping your enemies closer than your friends. And as long as he doesn't actively betray us, having that much muscle and firepower is always useful. If nothing else, he may stop a bullet meant for someone smaller and more vulnerable." She shrugged. "Anyway, I've made my decision. So, keep a light touch with the crew. If talking about it acts as a safety valve, I'm fine with it. Just keep an eye on things. If you really think anyone's going to make trouble, send them to me and I'll deal with it."

"I will, ma'am." He sighed. "And I understand your arguments. Unfortunately..."

"Unfortunately, understanding is one thing. What we have here is more of an emotional response. Hardly surprising. How many generations did it take for humans to learn to accept each other? For that matter, I still know plenty of people with all kinds of prejudices against other humans, based on any number of real or imagined differences. That's just the way we are and it isn't going to change. When it comes to aliens, it's the same thing, but on steroids. Especially, because there are genuine reasons for concern here. I know, and for what it's worth I understand the crew's feelings, and yours. But we'll have to get past it. If you think it'll help, remind everyone that we're keeping the aliens confined to areas where they won't be able to learn anything of real importance, just like we did with Nihlus."

"I'll do that, ma'am." Pressly saluted.

 ** **-0-0-0-****

 _A short war -and let's be honest that's what it was: a war, not an 'incident'- twenty-five years of half-polite, half-hostile interactions and here you are, a turian standing on the deck of a human warship. Not the first turian to do so, but almost. Then again, that first turian seems to have ended up dead. You might want to consider that.  
_

Garrus looked around the hangar deck. He did not know how it all would end, but he was getting an experience that few people had had and he was going to make the most of it. Of course, not everything about the experience was pleasant. He'd gotten quite a few dark looks from some of the human crewmembers. In particular, from the Marine NCO who was currently performing weapons maintenance on the other side of the hangar and had a disturbing habit of gently stroking whatever weapon she was working on whenever she looked at him.  
But there were compensations, such as the object in front of him. A real-life, human-designed and built, wheeled combat vehicle. He'd seen the footage, of course; all turians had. Some of the prisoners that came home after the Relay 314 incident had managed to bring recordings with them, but most of it had been from human news stories that had been distributed widely in Citadel Space as the humans launched a propaganda offensive in the months following the war. Footage of massive wheeled monstrosities, like relics from the Krogan Rebellions, fighting in the streets, their guns demolishing any target they could find. And always, always ending with that last magnificent moment when they rolled forward, guns blazing away at the last remaining turian stronghold, while human soldiers charged straight into the defensive fire to the tune of the strange, almost eery human music. At the time everyone had thought that the music had been a later addition, to heighten the drama of the recordings, only to be astonished when the returning prisoners had told them, that in fact, it had been part of the battle.  
It had been a wake-up call, both for the Hierarchy and the Galaxy as a whole, that the times had changed: a return to the old days, when real soldiers fought real wars, rather than patrolling and dealing with minor nuisances like pirates and slavers. Ever since then, Hierarchy engineers had been working on solutions to the massive advantage in firepower that these vehicles represented. By now both Armax Arsenal and the Haliat Armory had started manufacturing similar vehicles, drawing on both observations of the human models as well as captured examples of the krogan Tomkah infantry carriers to develop and produce the M-080 and the Tyrus, which were designed along similar lines. A new vehicle, which would hover on a mass effect field, rather than using wheels, was said to be in development.  
Even so, there was something special about looking at the inspiration for those designs in real life. The vehicle was fairly typical, though perhaps smaller than the ones observed during the fighting in Shanxi City. It had the usual six broad wheels, with the hull mounted relatively high and on top of that, a turret sporting a truly impressive cannon. The only thing that was somewhat disappointing was that the cannon appeared to be a mass accelerator, rather than one of the chemically powered weapons for which the humans had become famous. But that was just a minor issue, certainly not enough to detract from the fascination that it held. Still, there were some things about this vehicle that did not seem to make a great deal of sense.

"Like what you see, Vakarian?"

Garrus turned around to find Shepard standing behind him.

"Commander Shepard?" He stopped, suddenly aware that studying their military equipment was probably not the best way to gain the humans' trust. "I was just taking a look-"

"-at the M35 Mako. The brand new, state-of-the-art armoured personnel carrier of the Marine Corps." She seemed to have understood where his thoughts were going. "Don't worry about taking a look. The outside isn't particularly secret. For that matter, if we have to deploy in open country, you'll get to see the inside as well. These things are just entering service and the USM insists that we use them as much as possible, on as many planets as possible, to get a better idea of their capabilities. Think of it as an extended field test."

"I understand." Garrus hesitated, then decided that he might as well take advantage of Shepard's willingness to talk. "If I may ask...?"

"What?"

"Well, I was wondering... I understand that you prefer wheeled vehicles over shuttles for this kind of task. But, this particular vehicle seems to have thrusters as well. And I don't quite understand what purpose they serve."

"The thrusters? Well, there are a number of reasons, but they're primarily there for airdrops."

"Airdrops?"

"Oh, yes." Shepard smiled. "The M35 can be deployed from a frigate without landing. We open the hangar door and drive out. Between the eezo core to lighten the mass, and the thrusters to provide direction, the Mako can make a controlled landing."

"But, why?" Garrus felt thoroughly confused. "Why not just land?"

"In case it's too dangerous to land."

"But you still have to come into the atmosphere to low altitude, right. I mean, I cannot imagine deploying something like this from orbit."

"Oh, no. It cannot make an atmospheric entry. Normandy has to come down to about a hundred meters or less before we can deploy."

"So, it's in case it's too dangerous to land, but not too dangerous to bring a frigate down to low altitude."

"Yes." Shepard's smile broadened.

"That's... That's a very specific level of danger," Garrus said. "I mean, I can understand why you wouldn't want to land a frigate in the middle of a combat zone, but then, why don't you deploy it from a shuttle. This vehicle seems small enough to fit into a cargo shuttle."

"It is." Shepard smiled even more broadly. "In fact, even a Viking dropship can carry it down from orbit. That was part of the original requirement. They even tried fitting it into a Cheyenne, like the old M577, but that would have put too many limitations on the size. However, as you can see," She gestured around. "These frigates don't normally carry shuttles. Because we can land the whole ship."

"But-" Garrus stopped himself before he said something truly undiplomatic, but some of his thoughts must have been visible anyway because Shepard suddenly started sniggering.

"You can say it, Vakarian. I won't be offended. The whole concept is insane." She stopped laughing. "Don't get me wrong, I can see some advantages. Although more in terms of landing in awkward spots where a frigate just won't fit. But that's not enough to justify adding this much complexity to what should have been a relatively simple vehicle. You have to understand this thing's history."

She leaned against one of the Mako's massive wheels.

"A long time ago, before the formation of the United Systems Military, the Colonial Marines had an APC, the M577, that could be carried internally in a Cheyenne dropship. The idea was that the marines would ride inside the APC as the dropship went down. The moment it reached the ground, the loading ramp would drop, the APC would race away, and the dropship would lift off again to provide air cover and fire support. It was a great idea for rapid deployment."

Garrus nodded slowly. He had seen images of the human Cheyenne dropships that had been used both in the Relay 314 incident, as well as during the attack on Torfan. He could envision them executing such a manoeuvre.

"It sounds good."

"Yes, it does, in theory. Unfortunately, in order to fit the APC inside the Cheyenne, they had to make a lot of compromises, particularly in height. That led to a loss of functionality, both in terrain performance as well as in the firing arcs of the weapons, which they tried to solve with such abominations as a turret on a telescoping mount. The M577 was a bloody disaster to drive unless you stuck to the roads and its weapon systems spent more time in maintenance than on the vehicles. At the time, no-one outside the Marine Corps cared. Weyland-Yutani made a fortune from that contract, the politicians and senior officers took their bribes and kept their mouths shut and nobody asked the grunts for their opinion." Shepard grimaced. "It's not a new story. Those things have always happened. Anyway, when the political situation changed, the Colonial Marines dumped their M577s as soon as they could and replaced them with the M29 Grizzly, which fixed those problems. Great in terrain and a whole range of solid, practical weapon systems that can be mounted on it. However, that also meant that it's much bigger and nothing less than a cargo shuttle could get it down to the ground, so we lost a lot of tactical flexibility. The Mako was supposed to fix that: small enough that it fits inside a Viking, if not a Cheyenne, but with a good terrain performance."

"I see." Garrus didn't really. The Hierarchy had had its own problems with weapon designs in the past, but the idea that a commercial entity could sell a weapon system that the soldiers didn't want and that didn't do its job was unheard of. Such a weapon would never have been approved for service. "I take it that things didn't work out as planned."

"Nope. Apparently, the design requirements, in particular for terrain performance, were a tough nut to crack in the first place and it couldn't be done without an eezo core, which was still pretty new to us at the time. I'm talking about thirty years ago. So, the project dragged on and on. Unfortunately, the longer it took, the more people got involved, all with different ideas on how it should work and what it should be able to do.  
The eezo core would help with the terrain performance. But then someone suggested using eezo tech to give it shields as well. That caused further complications. On top of that, the USM started to insist on a more powerful weapon system and since they had the mass effect technology anyway, Weyland-Yutani, who had been awarded the contract despite their less than stellar reputation, decided to use that as an excuse to give it a hideously expensive mass accelerator as the main gun, rather than a chemically powered one. Meanwhile, someone in the military suddenly wanted to use it for reconnaissance, which involved adding a state-of-the-art sensor package, which had to be fitted in somehow. As for the thrusters, originally, they were supposed to help lift the vehicle if it got stuck, and to add thrust when going up-hill. But someone realized that they could also control and direct its fall when dropped from a limited height and suddenly that became a new requirement, even though nobody had ever suggested that it should be deployed that way. This happens sometimes. People start adding new requirements, which cause the system to become more complicated, which opens up more possibilities, which lead to more requirements. In the case of the Mako, it got out of control.  
So, now we have an infantry carrier that can fit in a large assault dropship and can even be airdropped, but can barely carry half a rifle squad; equipped with a gun that can level a city block, but barely enough armour to stop small arms fire, which is partially compensated for by a shield, which requires an eezo core that costs more than the rest of the vehicle combined and, trust me, that is a _lot_ of money."  
Shepard shook her head. "And, of course, the cost escalation led to the number of vehicles that will be purchased to drop, which is part of the reason that they have to be able to carry out so many different tasks, hence the extra weapons. There are a couple of variants available, such as a dedicated medical transport and a drone-control vehicle, but nothing like the massive proliferation of Grizzly offshoots. It's just too expensive to produce. Any thought of it replacing the Grizzly is long gone. It's a supplementary system only. And, between the insanely long development, the production costs and the reduction in government orders, Weyland-Yutani is rapidly regretting that they ever took the contract. They tried marketing it to the planetary militias, but none of them had any interest. They don't care about airdropping it or transporting it in dropships and find it a lot more cost-effective to buy Grizzlies, either new or second hand. So, believe it or not, W-Y are now working on a civilian version, called the Nomad, in the hope of making a profit that way."

"A civilian version?" Garrus felt more lost than ever as evidence of human insanity piled up. "Who would buy something like that?"

"Originally? The thought was to market it to colonists departing for new planets as the ultimate ground transport. Except, no colonization program could afford it. Besides, with settlements in the Skyllian Verge still growing rapidly, there hasn't been that much of an urge to go to new planets lately. So, the only possible market is now the super-rich, who want to have a really cool all-terrain vehicle. But that meant, that they had to change the hull-shape to something better-looking and completely overhaul the interior, which led to a further increase in costs."

"I see."

"Who knows, with such a slim customer base we might even start selling them outside human space. There must be some rich non-humans who'd like to drive around in a truly unique vehicle."

Shepard pushed herself up and away from the vehicle. "Anyway, that's the story behind the Mako. By all means, look at it all you like. If nothing else, it will serve as an object lesson in how not to develop such vehicles."

 **-0-0-0-**

Ashley watched from the corner of her eye while the Commander talked to the birdface they had picked up. _A turian aboard a human warship. What's next?_ And not just a turian either. They had a krogan in the hangar bay as well. Plus the quarian, but at least that one was out of sight. She had retreated into the sterile room they had set up for her. _Out of sight, out of mind. Well, mostly._ Ashley could not quite stop herself from wondering what would happen if someone managed to contaminate that room. _Accidents happen._ It was a stupid thought. A really stupid thought. After a decade of bouncing around between backwater garrisons, she wasn't going to screw up her one chance at ship duty. Still, if it did happen, she would not be shedding any tears over it.  
She came to attention as the Commander walked over to the workbench _.  
_

 _"_ At ease." Shepard waved her off. "Let's reserve the Mickey Mouse stuff for the parade grounds, Chief." She looked at the parts of an assault rifle that was lying on the work bench. "I trust you know how to put that back together once you're done."

"Yes, ma'am. Of course. I'm fully qualified to-"

"I know. I read your personnel file." A brief shrug. "Just a bit surprised that you're doing that level of maintenance. I thought all our weapons had been kept up to standard."

 _Awkward._ "Of course, ma'am. Nothing wrong with the maintenance cycle. It's just... We don't know what we're heading into and I figured I should do full maintenance on every weapon before we hit trouble. Cannot tell when there will be another opportunity."

"True." Shepard nodded. "Speaking of what we're heading into, we didn't have time to discuss the situation before departure. Not with the little show I had to put on for the cameras." A fleeting look of annoyance passed over Shepard's face. "Ridiculous posturing. I'm supposed to be a dangerous person, so I've got to beat my chest and mouth off all the time? Idiots. In any case, I figured we might as well talk now. I know you've been briefed on our mission. So, any concerns?"

 _Warning, danger!_ This was usually a trap. An officer asking an NCO about their concerns didn't want to hear any. They wanted to hear that there were no concerns and everything was going well. Any other answer was unlikely to please. Still...

"To be honest, ma'am. I'm a bit unsure exactly what we're planning to achieve by going after this asari. I mean, do you really think she'll be willing to lead us to her mother?"

"Willing? Perhaps not, but that doesn't matter. The big question is whether she'll be able to." Shepard shrugged. "To be honest, I find that doubtful. If I were going to engage in a massive conspiracy to kill tons of people I wouldn't leave a forwarding address, not even for my own children. But the truth is that we don't have a whole lot of leads right now. Might as well track this one down. Besides, I want to have the Matriarch's daughter in custody, before we meet the Matriarch herself."

"You think it'll help to persuade her to join the side of good and justice? I mean, a mother's love may be strong, but we're talking about someone who was willing to casually wipe out an entire colony."

"A _human_ colony, Chief, not an asari one, and this is her daughter we're talking about, not just some asari we dragged off the street. Besides, if nothing else, watching what we can do to another member of her species could be very persuasive."

Ashley felt a chill going down her spine. _The Butcher of Torfan._ There had been stories, wildly exaggerated stories or so she had always believed, about what had happened down in that slavers' colony. Now, looking at the expressionless face of her commanding officer, she was starting to wonder.

"Wait, ma'am, you're not actually suggesting that we-"

"I'm suggesting that we need leverage, and this is a tried and proven method; not just on humans either. I know for a fact that it works on batarians too. I see no reason why it wouldn't work on asari." Shepard's face relaxed and the moment passed. "But let's hope that will not be necessary. Anything else?"

Ashley hesitated. She definitely had other concerns, but-

"Spill it."

 _Damn, I never had a good poker face._

"I'm a bit concerned about our new crewmembers?"

"Ah." There was a wealth of meaning in that one syllable. "Funny. I just had that conversation a little while ago. Anything specific?"

"Not exactly, ma'am." No, to be honest, there really weren't any specific concerns. Just a really big non-specific one.

"Good. As to the general issue, I'll tell you the same thing I told the previous person. We have a job to do and right now we need some non-human help to do it, whether we like it or not. Then again, we don't get paid to like things, so that doesn't matter all that much. Anyway, now that we're talking. I had a question of my own."

"Ma'am?"

"As I said, I read your file and I was a bit surprised. You went through all the right training programs, basically got all your tickets punched. But since then, nothing but garrison duty. Do you have something against starships, Chief?"

Some officers figured it out on their own, but even the ones that didn't would start asking questions and, sooner or later, reality caught up with her.

"I, eh, I never really had the opportunity, ma'am."

"No opportunity?" The Commander's eyebrows rose fractionally. "Someone with your training, and a spotless fitness record?"

 _Here we go._ "My family name might have something to do with it, ma'am."

"Your name? Last time I checked, Williams was a pretty common name. is it supposed to mean anything to me?"

"There are Williams, and Williams, ma'am. In my case, it's a pretty well-known name, especially in the military. There used to be a general Williams at one time."

"A general-" Shepard's eyes narrowed slightly. "General Williams, commanding officer for the Shanxi colony. And you're related?"

"My grandfather." Ashley shook her head. "And the only human officer ever to surrender to aliens, yes ma'am."

"But never convicted of anything, if I remember correctly," Shepard mused. "Instead, he just disappeared."

"He was forced to resign," Ashley couldn't keep the bitterness out of her voice. "I guess when the war was over, nobody wanted to be reminded of things that had gone wrong. So, they made it very clear that a trial would not go well for him and 'suggested' that he leave voluntarily. No trial, no conviction, just... nothing."

"And so, no way to rehabilitate him either," Shepard nodded. "After all, he was never convicted of anything, so there is nothing to overturn and meanwhile, the tarnished reputation clings to him"

"Yes, ma'am. Every now and then, there is some talk of clearing his name, but, like you said, he was never convicted, so there isn't much that can be done. Some historical accounts are quite fair to him, others not so much. In the end, it doesn't make much of a difference. It cannot change the fact that he spent the rest of his life working construction in one of the new colonies in the Verge. Or that the stigma attached itself to our name. I suppose we should have stayed out of the military, but we always felt we had something to prove. my father served in the Marines for twenty years, never even made it to corporal. Me, well, on paper I did a little better, but you've seen my record. If it hadn't been for the attack on Eden Prime and Captain Anderson taking me along, I'd never have seen ship-duty."

"I see," Shepard shrugged. "Well, I never met your grandfather. And I wasn't at Shanxi, so I'm not in a position to judge. Also, to be honest, people's ancestors don't rate very high on the list of things I care about. In fact, they're at about the same level as the antics of children and the sex lives of celebrities. I've said it before, and I'll say it again. You do your job, and we won't have any problems. Can I trust that your family history won't get in the way as far as our turian guest is concerned?"

Ashley took a deep breath. It was a reasonable question and one that she did not actually know the answer to. Still, that was not what the Commander was looking for.

"Yes, ma'am. There won't be any problems. Look, ma'am. I know the drill. Orders are orders. I don't have to like them, just follow them. You say jump, I say 'how high?'. You tell me to kiss a turian, I say 'which cheek?'."

"I'll keep that in mind." Shepard grinned and glanced over her shoulder to where Vakarian had gone back to studying the Mako. "It might be fun to watch. In the meantime, keep working on those weapons. I have the feeling we'll be needing them soon. And, eh, try not to kill the wrong turian. That would be awkward."

"Yes, ma'am."

Ashley watched as the Commander walked away, stopping briefly to exchange a few words with the krogan who had appropriated part of the hanger bay to set up camp. That had gone better than she'd feared. _Try not to kill the wrong turian._ Well, fine. Saren was a turian too, and he was definitely the right turian to kill. And, who knew, there might be a few others on the way. A girl could dream.

 **!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-** ** **!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-**** **!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-** **!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-**

 **A/N** _:_

 _So many hopeless battles that I can put Shepard in. (Even though she was unsure which one this was, it was, in fact, a historical event._ _ _The last two were pretty obvious. This one is probably less well known._ That prothean message is really having fun coming up with ways to get through to her.)_

 _I really hated driving the Mako and I was even more pissed when they basically brought it back for ME:A. Except worse, for the Nomad doesn't even come with guns, which were the one redeeming quality of the Mako. So, I took the story of the development of things like the Bradley IFV and the Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle and adapted them a bit. (See in particular the film 'Pentagon Wars' with Kelsey Grammer. Despite being played for comedy it is surprisingly -and horrifyingly- accurate. The book it was based on is even more interesting, but it's out of print. The few available copies are very expensive and I don't think there is an electronic version.)  
_


	22. Ready to go

**I don't own either AvP or Mass Effect  
**

 **!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-** ** **!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-**** **!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-** **!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-**

 **Therum, Knossos System, Artemis Tau Cluster**

 _Run!_ Liara ran, perhaps faster than she had ever run in her life. She could hear the noises of her pursuer's behind her. _Don't stop, don't look back._ A large shape moved overhead, blotting out the light of the sun. Smaller shapes dropped down ahead of her. _More geth!_ It was insane. Completely insane. No geth had ever been seen outside of the Perseus veil since the Geth War. And now, they were on Therum, chasing an asari archaeologist who had never even given them a thought. She swerved, ducking behind a building to get out of their line of sight. If she could get far enough away from them, she might be able to double back and get to the shuttle. Taking off would be dangerous with the geth ship overhead, but so far none of them had fired a shot. For whatever reason, it seemed as though they wanted her alive.  
The geth ship fired its guns; not at her, but at a target behind her. A flash of light behind her lit up the area, followed by a rumbling noise while the ground shook. _So much for that plan!_

The loss of her shuttle was a disaster. Not only did it mean she was stuck, but the shuttle had contained her long range communication system. Without it, she had no way of contacting anyone, either to warn them or to ask for help. It also meant that she had lost her supplies, meaning that any help that was sent was likely to come too late. _Don't think about that. Worry about the present. The future can wait._

Up ahead was the entrance to one of the main buildings. It had been put in place by a previous expedition that had started to investigate the ruins but had been withdrawn before they could complete their task. But she had taken a look earlier and the system still worked. There was even an elevator that would take her down to the lower levels. If she could get inside, there would be far more opportunities to hide.

 ** **-0-0-0-****

 **USM Normandy, Artemis Tau cluster**

The mass relay flashed and USM Normandy decelerated into local space.

"And, done! Welcome to the Artemis Tau cluster. All systems functional, stealth mode engaged"

"Thank you, Mr Moreau." Shepard looked around the briefing room. "Well, so far so good. The problem is that for some reason this particular expedition only lists 'Artemis Tau' as their destination. Not a planet, not even a star system. So, we've got our work cut out for us."

She activated the central screen and a local star map appeared. "If I were an asari archaeologist, where would I be?"

"They were looking for prothean artefacts," Vakarian said. "And I cannot imagine that they launched an expedition purely on speculation. Far too expensive. So, we're looking for a planet with clear evidence of prothean settlement."

"Agreed." Shepard gestured at the map. "I looked through this on the way and there is one: Therum, Knossos system. Not a very inviting world because of the volcanic activity, but there are extensive prothean ruins. Definitely a candidate. As for the other systems. Hmm..." She checked her notes. "Forget about Athens. Two gas giants, an ocean world, and a half-molten rock. No known prothean ruins. Besides, the star is unstable. Any expedition there would require massive logistical support. Far more than a typical science team could muster. Same goes for Sparta. One planet that might have supported life at one point but is now a ball of ice, no evidence of prothean presence and dangerous because of constant meteor bombardment. Not a place for a small scientific expedition.  
Macedon..." She hesitated. "A distant 'maybe'. A couple of planets that kind-of qualify as inhabitable. The star is weak but stable, and there is actually one planet marked as inhabitable by the volus. They've made overtures to the United Systems for colonization rights. Smart move. We don't technically own anything in Artemis Tau, but it's right on our border and there would have been trouble if they'd just move in." She shook her head. "I wonder how that will work out. Most humans would oppose it, just on general principle, but it's not as though we have much use for an ammonia-based world ourselves. We'd need to put in an atmospheric processor just to make the air breathable. Figure a hundred billion credits and decades before you can walk outside for even short periods. And then we'd still have the problem of the lack of sunlight, so it would remain a frozen hell. Cannot set up a greenhouse effect either. The star just doesn't produce enough radiation to heat that planet. So, if they're willing to pay for it, maybe make some trade concessions and pay the passage fees for the local relays ..." She shrugged.

"They would," Vakarian nodded. "The Vol Protectorate doesn't lack for money and they're always eager to pick up that kind of planet. And it's not as though they're a military threat to you. Your people could do a lot worse."

"Perhaps," Alenko said. "But it's a political decision; so, not necessarily a rational one."

Shepard smirked a little. "Truer words were never spoken. Anyway, we'll keep it in mind. If the planet got surveyed for colonization, they might have found something that's not in the records. But right now Knossos seems to be our best bet. Other than Therum, which shows clear evidence of prothean occupation, there is a second planet we might need to check out: Armeni. Flagged as being of archaeological interest because of some underground stuff. Supposedly, a giant alien graveyard. Not prothean, but definitely a potential destination for archaeologists." She saw Vakarian twitch. "What?"

"That would be illegal," The turian said rather stiffly. "Gravesites are considered off-limits for archaeology, or any form of exploitation."

"Under Council law, maybe. Not under ours. We've dug up every ancient _human_ gravesite back on Earth that we could find in the name of science. And this is the Traverse, so legally speaking it's not really under anyone's jurisdiction. If these science types are in the system they might decide to drop by, just to take a look. Anyway, it adds another incentive. Any other nearby stars either have no planets at all, or it's just small airless rocks and gas giants. Knossos it is." She activated her communicator. "Mr Pressly? Calculate a course for the Knossos system, best speed."

 **-0-0-0-**

 **Therum, Knossos system**

There was noise behind her, footsteps with a distinctive metallic sound. Liara looked around. There was nowhere else to go. No more tunnels, no corridors. The elevator would just take her back to the surface, where the geth would be waiting for her. A place to hide? Not likely. They could take their time. They were machines. Logical, precise. They weren't going to get bored. There was a control panel to the side. Even now, Liara couldn't quite stop herself from checking the symbols. No time for a proper translation, no time for real study, but still... Some of it made sense. This place, it was supposed to be some kind of prison. A place to keep people -or animals, or something- contained.

The noises grew louder. A prison. It would be designed to keep you in. But that would also keep others out. But there were no doors, no bars. Not even a sign that such a thing had ever been here. She looked at the panel again. There! An activation switch. It might be, it _had_ to be.

More noise, very close now. There was no more time. The first geth came out of the tunnel. Liara didn't even bother to step to the panel. Her biotics flared, reaching out and slamming down on the panel. A force field snapped up, blocking the entrance to the small alcove she was standing in. Then, something else activate and she found herself lifted into the air.

 **-0-0-0-**

 **Knossos, Outer system**

There was a flash of light as the ship came out of FTL.

"Welcome to Knossos."

Shepard looked out of the bridge window. "Are we back in stealth mode?"

"Yes, ma'am. And we're doing passive scans only. So, we're completely invisible." The pilot grinned. "Unless, you know, somebody just walks to the window and looks in our direction."

"Right." Shepard shrugged. "Well, you cannot have it all. Until someone comes up with an infiltrator cloak that can cover a whole ship, we'll just have to make do." She fell silent for a moment. There was something at the back of mind, a memory about... Shepard shook her head. It didn't really matter. "Anything on those scanners?"

"No, ma'am. So far, no other ships sighted. Shall I get us to Therum?"

"Yes. And stay in stealth. If there is anyone out there, I don't want to spoil the surprise." She looked at the second bridge station, where one of the scan techs was working the instruments. "Focus on Therum and its orbitals. Depending on the kind of ship they used, they may have parked it in orbit and taken a shuttle down. If so, I want to know."

"Ma'am, I'm getting something on sensors," The technician looked up from her display.

"Well, don't keep me in suspense."

"I cannot be sure, ma'am. It's just bits and pieces of transmissions, but we saw something similar on Eden Prime. I think it's these geth again."

"I see." Shepard looked at the display, but couldn't make out anything. Not that she really expected to. This kind of analysis was an expert's job. "Keep monitoring. But be careful. Remember: AI. We don't want to give them a chance to infiltrate our systems. Oh, and prepare a copy of what you record. Now that we have an expert on these things on board, we might as well make use of her expertise. Speaking of which," She turned to Lieutenant Alenko, who had joined her on the bridge. "When you go to the hangar bay, knock on the door of that sterile room we've set up. I want the quarian on the team when we go down there."

"We're deploying ground-side, ma'am?"

"Oh yes, as soon as we have a location. No way this is a coincidence. If the geth are down there, it's for a reason and it's not because they like sightseeing. I want everyone assembled in the hangar in full gear." Shepard looked at the pilot. "Mr Moreau, prepare for a Mako drop. Let's see if that thing works as advertised."

 **-0-0-0-**

 **USM Normandy, Therum orbit  
**

"Commander?"

"Yes?"

"I'm getting a distress signal. I think it's the science team."

"Are they under attack?"

"No, ma'am. They're parked on the surface, but there is no sign of geth activity near them."

"I see." Shepard shrugged. "Might as well answer. Stealth, or no stealth, the geth'll notice us the moment we hit the atmosphere anyway. But keep it on a tight beam. No need to advertise our presence more than necessary."

"Yes, ma'am." The technician's fingers flew over her keyboard. "Communication channel open. They have the carrier wave."

"Good." Shepard activated the communication link.

"This is USM Normandy. We have received your distress call. Please advice as to the nature of your emergency."

There was a short pause then:

"This is the Armali University Science Vessel Paranea. There is a geth presence on this planet. I repeat there is a geth presence on this planet. Proceed with extreme caution."

Shepard grinned. "Thanks for the warning, but, eh, we already know. Are you in immediate danger?"

"No. We detected their ships as they approached the planet, but they have not come near our position."

"Why have you not left the system? The geth must be close to the ground. There is no indication of any ships in wide orbit. You should be able to take off and make for the outer system."

"A member of our team is missing. She took one of the shuttles two day ago to visit a prothean ruin outside of our immediate research area. We've been trying to get in contact, but she isn't answering. I'm hesitant to leave until we know what happened to her."

"I see." Shepard thought for one second. "This person. What is her name?"

"Why is that important?"

Shepard sighed. "It is relevant because I requested the information. If nothing else, it'll be easier to search for her if I know what name to shout. Now, are we going to waste time arguing, or will you answer my question?"

There was a moment of silence.

"Dr T'Soni. Her name is Dr Liara T'Soni."

"Thank you. Please hold your present position and send us her last known coordinates. We will proceed and extract her if possible."

Shepard looked up.

"Well, well. The plot thickens."

 **-0-0-0-**

"Ladies and gentlemen, and I'm using that term in the most general sense possible, we are going to make history. This will be the first time ever that a multispecies combat team has deployed from a USM warship. I hope you are all suitably awed by this momentous occasion." Shepard looked around the hangar bay. "Good, now let's get to business. According to the science team, Dr Liara T'Soni took a shuttle three days ago to inspect a second prothean site. From what I understand, these ruins had been partially explored by an earlier expedition, but they pulled out before they could finish. Seems that when the United Systems started settling in the Skyllian Verge they got scared that we might block the mass relays, cutting them off from Citadel Space."

"Why?" Kaiden Alenko looked genuinely confused. "Why would we do that?"

"Because we're human and therefore inherently evil and out for archaeologist blood. Or something like that. Seriously though, this was about twenty years ago, so I can understand that they'd be nervous. Interspecies relationships weren't exactly good. Anyway, it seems they figured that those ruins weren't going anywhere, so they just left their equipment in place waiting until they could come back. Except, for one reason or another they never did. Now, with this new expedition nosing around on Therum, Dr T'Soni decided to take a look and see what the condition of that old dig site is and whether it might be worthwhile to continue their work as well as the new digging that they've started elsewhere. That was three days ago."

"And the Geth attacked just as she was separated from the rest of the team?" Vakarian asked incredulously. "That cannot be a coincidence."

"Agreed. They must have monitored their transmissions and decided that this was the perfect opportunity. The question is, what do they want with her? Frankly, I think this is bad news for us one way or another. If they want her dead, I doubt we can get to her in time. In fact, I would assume that she's dead already if it weren't for the fact that the geth are still around. But even if they intend to take her alive, that would seem to indicate that she's not in direct contact with her mother. Otherwise, this Benezia could just have given her a call, instead of sending a bunch of robots. Still, we have to try. The science team has given us a location, but we cannot land right on top of the dig site. There isn't a whole lot of room, and there are several geth ships in that area. None of them is particularly big, but we're not here to fight a space battle and I see no reason to tangle with them if we don't have to. We'll come in low, drop a couple of kilometres out in the Mako and proceed from there."

"Now," Shepard continued. "We haven't had an opportunity to train together but that cannot be helped. We also have a very narrow time limit, if we aren't too late already. Therefore, I intend to keep this simple. We'll drive the Mako straight to the ruins and just shoot our way through anything that gets in the way. No fancy tricks, no sneaking around, just straight ahead and to hell with the geth." As she spoke she could see the grin forming on Wrex's face. At least somebody appreciated the beauty of simplicity. "Once we're at the ruins, we'll deploy on foot. Jin, Estanza, you two have the most experience with the Mako, so you stay with the vehicle and drive it out to a point where Moreau can bring Normandy down to pick you up. Everyone else comes with me while we search the buildings or whatever is left of them. Frankly, that's all the planning I can do until we know more. Just keep in mind, we want the asari alive, so exercise some muzzle control and try not to shoot any holes in her."

"What if we cannot get her out alive?" Vakarian asked.

"We fall back." Shepard shrugged. We're here to retrieve T'Soni, not to go on a geth hunt. If we cannot get her out alive, there is simply no point in continuing. I'll alert USM headquarters, of course, and they can come and blast the place or drop a battalion of troops here, but that's their concern, not ours. Meanwhile, we need to consider what we'll be facing down there. On Eden Prime, we saw three types of units. A basic infantry model carrying an assault rifle, a small recon and support drone, and a heavy unit that's basically an upscaled infantry soldier with heavy shielding and more firepower. The thing is, they didn't seem very smart. Their entire combat strategy seemed to be limited to: Identify a target, converge on it while shooting, repeat until the target is down. Honestly, I didn't see much sign of real intelligence. Any half-decent computer program could have directed their operations. So, I'm not sure how effective they're going to be. Ms Zorah? Any thoughts?"

Tali looked up. "It would depend on how many there are."

"How many?" Ashley Williams frowned. "Why would having more robots make them smarter?

"Not robots." Some irritation bled through the translation software. "Geth aren't robots. And I'm not talking about the platforms." The quarian made a gesture that the translation routines could not interpret. "The units that you see aren't individuals. They are just mobile hardware platforms. Geth are software routines. The number of active routines on a platform varies and the more there are, the smarter they become as a collective unit. So one platform may simply walk in a straight line while shooting, while another seeks cover and tries to get around your flank even though there is no difference in outward appearance. On top of that, they communicate between platforms. So, if there are more platforms operating as a unit, they make each other smarter. The effect is limited by distance. As they spread out, contact times become longer and they become less effective."

"I see." Shepard thought for a moment. "Can they relocate, from one platform to another?"

"Yes. They can also copy themselves to a server. So even if you destroy the platform, chances are that the geth routines themselves survive."

"Interesting. So, if a single platform comes under attack, then, in theory, these routines could move from other platforms to the one in trouble to make it more effective. Or they could move out of the platform and just abandon it if they thought it wasn't worth saving."

"Certainly. Most likely the latter. The platforms have no individual value and can be easily replaced. But if the software routines are lost, the geth as a whole become less intelligent."

"Good to know." Sheppard nodded. "All of that might explain why the ones on Eden Prime used relatively simple tactics. By the time we landed, they were spread out all over the place. We never encountered more than half a dozen of these platforms at a time. Perhaps they were unable to concentrate enough of those geth programs to reach a higher state of intelligence. Or perhaps they no longer cared. They had the beacon and the survival of individual platforms no longer mattered. In any case, I guess we cannot really predict how effective they will be. So, just apply as much firepower as possible and hope for the best. Which brings me to the other possible opponent. I'm talking about the biological that was deployed on Eden Prime, the xenomorph. Unfortunately, my own information on these things is limited. Prior to Eden Prime, we thought we were rid of these things, so it had no priority in training. I've sent out a request for more info but I didn't receive an answer yet.  
So, let's just limit things to my personal experience. Bottom line, as far as I can tell, this is an animal. A dangerous one, yes, but still an animal. It's fast, it's strong, it has a lot of teeth, but it isn't a tool user and it doesn't have any guns. So, as long as you keep it at a distance you're fine. Not really a threat in the open where you can see it coming, but very nasty in confined spaces. Short story: don't _ever_ let them grab you. They can go through armour with one punch. Also, they bleed acid." She waited a moment for comments. None came. "Yeah. They bleed acid. I guess because the universe isn't messed up enough without something that bleeds acid. And not just a little bit. According to the information I currently have, that stuff will eat through standard armour and still be potent enough to seriously injure or kill whoever is inside it. Right now, we have no way of dealing with it in the field. So, again, keep them at a distance."  
She shrugged. "Right now, that's really all I can say. Incidentally, if they're around that should be a pretty good indication as to whether Saren wants the T'Soni girl alive. I don't know to what extent he controls these things, but I can't imagine anyone trusting them with a 'capture alive' type of mission."

She looked the others over. "Williams I see you've upgraded to a Draco rifle. Good. You'll need the extra firepower. As for the rest. Ms Zorah, no offence, but I don't want you in combat if we can avoid it. So, stay behind the shooters and focus on tech support. As for the rest, I figure you're all set? Vakarian?"

The turian drew what looked like a block of metal and synthetic material of his back. It folded out into a long-barreled rifle with scope even as he moved. "All set, Shepard. Just give me a target."

Shepard smiled. "Oh, don't worry about that. Unless I'm sadly mistaken, we'll have enough targets for everyone. Wrex?"

The krogan grinned and lifted his shotgun. Shepard's eyes widened. The weapon deviated considerably from the standard element zero based weaponry commonly found among Citadel species. For one thing, it didn't fold itself up into a block. For another, it almost looked sculpted, like a throwback to pre-industrial human firearms, rather than the straight lines and sharp edges of a modern weapon.

"Well, hello. I haven't seen one of those in a while. You didn't have one back on the Citadel."

"Graal Spike Thrower," Vakarian commented. "Designed to kill anything up to -and including- Thresher Maws. Strictly illegal in Citadel Space."

"But we aren't in Citadel Space, now are we, C-Sec boy?" Wrex grinned even more. "You say we might be hunting some animals, Shepard? Trust me, when it comes to hunting, nothing beats a Graal."

"I'll take your word for it." Shepard shrugged. "And the legal issues aren't my problem. Anyway, is we're all good, let's board the Mako. Trust me, you're in for a ride you'll never forget."

 **!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-** ** **!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-**** **!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-** **!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-**

 **A/N:** _Unlike in the game, I'm not going to have Shepard & Co. Search star system after star system when some simple deductions based on generally available data could narrow the search area down considerably. Also, none of that stuff with the Dantius family sidequest that takes place in the same area. That's one of those things that work in a game, but not in a story. Seriously, how would that play out? 'Excuse me, sir/ma'am. I know that you're a government-employed military officer and that taking side jobs for foreigners would lead to an immediate court-martial, but while you're on your super important, time-critical mission, could you do me a favour and make a small detour?' You know, in real life, I actually have a package that needs to go to the USA and I think there is an American warship in the nearby harbour right now. I'll just ask the captain to take the package along. Wait, why are there police officers in full combat gear approaching my house?_ **  
**

 _In canon, Liara is completely alone. Again, for purpose of a game that is fine. But, in terms of a story, it doesn't make much sense. University-based archaeological expeditions are always large affairs and even if Liara somehow managed to organize her expedition as a private venture, doing it alone makes no sense. If she can afford the equipment and a trip halfway across the galaxy, she can also afford to pay a few assistants. So, I tried to strike a balance that maintains realism but still explains why she is alone in the ruins._


	23. Dropping in

**Something went wrong with the last upload and this chapter got overwritten. Unfortunately, I didn't have a backup, but I managed to reconstruct most of it. The story hasn't changed. That'll teach me to make a backup every time I upload a new chapter.  
**

* * *

 **Therum**

"Gory, gory, what a helluva way to die;

gory, gory what a helluva way to die;

gory, gory what a helluva way to die and he ain't gonna jump no more."

The Mako sailed through the air

"He counted long, he counted hard, he waited for the shock.

He felt the wind, he felt the cold, he felt the awful drop"

With a bone-jarring shock, the Mako hit the ground and the humans stopped singing. A few moments passed, while the occupants reassured themselves that they were still alive and the non-humans among them shared a look that was fast becoming a habit: _humans are insane_.

"Well, so much for that," Shepard said. It seems we're in one piece and so is the Mako." She tapped a button. "Start recording: First combat deployment of the Mako from USM Normandy by way of airdrop complete. Drop successful. Vehicle and occupants have reached the ground intact." She paused for a second. "Note to self: This form of deployment not to be recommended and should only be attempted when absolutely necessary. Crew and passengers expected to be functioning at severely diminished capacity for several minutes after landing".

She looked up. "I may add a note that any officer who recommends this form of deployment should be summarily executed. Publicly, as a warning to others."

"Right," Garrus nodded. "Why not start with the person who came up with the idea in the first place?"

"I'd love to, but I cannot. He died a couple of years ago. I checked."

"What a shame."

"Isn't it just? And I was so looking forward to tieing him under the Mako for the next drop. Anyway," Shepard powered up the sensors and turned the turret around for a better look at the environment. "Welcome to Therum. World of rock, lava, and more rock. It looks like there is really only one way ahead. We'll just have to follow this canyon until we reach the prothean ruins. Estanza, get this thing moving. And try to avoid the lava. I know the Mako is shielded, but I'd rather not test that by driving into a pit of molten rock."

"Yes, ma'am." The Mako started moving.

Shepard changed her comm channel. "Normandy, we're on the move. Hold position as planned and keep monitoring the area ahead."

 **-0-0-0-**

"Enemy ahead!"

Shepard peered through her gunsight. Several hundred meters ahead of the mako, a group of geth was waiting, strung out in a line across the canyon.

"Keep the Mako moving. I'll take them." Her hands tightened on the gun controls as she checked her targets, looking for a way to determine some sort of priority. Unfortunately, there was little to go on. While it may have been a fallacy that all aliens looked alike, it was definitely true for robots coming off an assembly line. True, here seemed t be some variations in colour scheme, but she had no way to tell what, if anything, those colours signified. She gave up, aimed at the left-most target, and pressed down on the fire control. At the front of the turret, a five-barreled Gatling gun span up and a stream of bullets lashed out at the enemy.

The first burst missed by a narrow margin. The second did not

As they had already found out on Eden Prime, the average geth platform was not all that heavily shielded or armoured, though, in all fairness, there simply was no way to protect any man-sized target from this kind of onslaught. Within a fraction of a second, a score of bullets, each powerful enough to go through multiple organic enemies if they were dumb enough to stand in a line, slammed into the geth and dismantled the platform in short order.

"Rocket!" Before she could pick her next target, the Mako braked, turned, then slid to the side

"Watch the Lava!" Shepard snapped, as she worked the turret controls, trying to keep her targets in the gunsight while the Mako skidded dangerously close to the stream of lava that passed through the canyon floor. Even as she spoke, a smoke trail reached out from one of the geth, narrowly missing the Mako.

 _Okay, guess they're not completely stupid._ Shepard wasted no more time, either picking targets or conserving ammunition and simply held the fire control down as she swept the turret back and forth, tearing the remaining geth apart. Within seconds the engagement was over and bits and pieces of the geth platforms lay scattered on the canyon floor.

"So," Shepard said. "They do have some sort of anti-vehicle weaponry. That's good to know. Start moving again, but keep an eye out. I don't know what kind of warheads they've got on those rockets, and I really don't want to find out the hard way."

As if on cue, the communication link with Normandy went active.

"Commander?"

"Yes."

"There's a geth ship moving in on your position. Low altitude and moving slowly. Looks like they're trying to cut you off. Shall we engage?"

Shepard considered briefly. "No. Keep an eye on them, but don't engage yet. Where are the others?"

There was a moment of silence.

"We've got three more of those ships on our sensors. One is close to the ruins, practically on top of them. The others are hanging back."

 **-0-0-0-**

"Enemy sighted." _And stupid,_ Shepard thought as she watched through her gunsight. Dead ahead, a geth ship was hovering low over the valley floor. Resembling nothing so much as a frigate-sized butterfly without wings, it moves slowly as it dropped a line of geth platforms directly in the Mako's path. _No tactics, no strategy, not even an attempt at flanking. And that ship is hideously vulnerable during the drop operation, hovering like it's a freaking helicopter. At least they should be able to drop the lot of them at once. Well, if you give me the opportunity, don't mind if I take advantage of it.  
_

"Normandy, I have eyes on the geth. Stand by. I'll give it one shot with the main gun. If it doesn't work, you'll have to take it down. I'll follow up against those platforms."

Pressly's voice came back over the comm. "Understood, Commander. Normandy's ready."

"Estanza, as soon as I fire, you move. Straight ahead, and get me within range of the ground troops."

Shepard adjusted her aim and switched to the main gun. She pressed down on the fire controls. The Mako shook as the mass accelerator fired. As she watched, the hypersonic projectile hit the geth vessel. Either its shields were uncommonly weak, or perhaps they had been powered down in order to enable the troop deployment. Either way, they failed to stop the slug, which slammed directly into the hull, tore it open and went on to wreak havoc in whatever lay underneath. The ship twisted in mid-air, rose and accelerated away, trailing smoke and debris before disappearing over the canyon walls.

"Well, that just happened. Geth ship out of sight, switching targets." Even as she spoke, the Mako accelerated, quickly closing the distance. Shepard switched guns, firing repeated bursts from the co-axial Gatling at the line of geth platforms, even though the range was still long, especially when firing on the move.

One geth went down, a second-

"Shit!" Two, three smoke trails suddenly reached out from the surviving geth platforms.

"Hold on!" The Mako seemed to spin in place, as Estanza worked the controls. The first missile missed, so did the second-

The vehicle lurched violently as the third missile slammed into its shields and exploded, but the shields held, if barely. Shepard cursed, adjusted her aim and fired again, and again. With the Mako at a stop, aiming was easy, and within seconds the geth platforms were torn apart and scattered over the landscape.

For a moment, nobody spoke while Shepard checked the status of the vehicle, then Estanza's voice came over the intercom.

"I'm sorry, commander. I couldn't evade that last one."

"No help for it. This is why vehicles should operate in groups, with infantry screens. Driving around like this, we're just a big obvious target for everyone to concentrate their fire on. Still, better that you evade two and get one hit than the other way round. Seems the warhead was purely high explosive, not armour piercing, which is good news. Anyways, I guess we can add a shield-test to the notes as well. They held. To be honest, I'm surprised."

"Better than expected, Commander?" Garrus asked.

Shepard shrugged. "Somewhat. For what it is, it's not a bad vehicle. It gets the job done. Good mobility, good firepower, and the shields give it decent protection. The big problems, from a purely tactical point of view, are the total lack of crew comfort, which will make it pure hell for long-term deployment, and the lack of space. An APC like this should be able to carry a full rifle squad, instead of just half. Using a two-men crew to ferry six shooters to the battlefield is just plain inefficient. Still, for what we're doing right now -deploying a small strike team- it works. It can carry us to the target and provide fire support. The problem is, that's just too narrow a focus for a vehicle that's this expensive. On top of that, there is a maintenance issue. Right now, we've got a Mako that's straight out of the factory and has been maintained right up until the moment we dropped and it shows. All systems are operating at ninety-seven per cent or better. The thing is, during the trials, the test teams saw a marked drop in performance if they kept them in the field for more than twenty-four hours without a maintenance cycle. And I suspect that under actual combat conditions it will be even worse. Again, that is something you can live with if the vehicle is a cheap, easily replaced piece of crap. But not if it costs as much as a shuttlecraft."

Shepard shrugged. "Anyway, never mind armoured vehicle design philosophy. While the shields can clearly take a beating, I'd rather not test them more than necessary. So, we'll definitely not take this thing all the way to the ruins, even if we can find a path. I'm not going to play armoured warfare in an urban environment. Even these geth are going to learn from their mistakes sooner or later and all it takes is a couple of those rocket launchers hiding on our flanks and we'll be in a world of trouble."

 **-0-0-0-**

 **Therum, prothean ruins.**

"For the last time, I - don't - know! Do you really think I would still be hanging here if I knew how to get out of it?"

The krogan snarled something in his own language that her translation implant did not pick up and turned away, ignoring both Liara and the geth platforms that were studying the force field. In a way, Liara could sympathize with his frustration. She wanted out of the bubble too. By now she must have been hanging in the old prothean cell for more than an hour. Not that she could check this, of course. the forcefield inside the bubble had stretched her arms out to the side, making it impossible to use her omnitool. She wanted out, she needed to get out. In fact, she was rapidly approaching the point where being captured by a group of geth and a krogan. - _A group of geth and a krogan? Just when did the universe become this_ _bizarre?-_ began to look like the better alternative.

It had seemed like such a good idea at the time, fleet into the abandoned building, activate the force field and trust in prothean technology to kee an effective barrier between her and whoever was pursuing her. That had worked. Unfortunately, she seemed to have activated something else as well, or perhaps prothean cells just automatically trapped the inmates into floating bubbles. Either way, it made any form of escape impossible. She could not physically get to the controls and because of the force filed sealing off the entrance, neither could the krogan and the geth. Initially, that last part had seemed like good news, but in the long run, it just added to the problem. Somehow, despite the fact that not even her biotics could get through the bubble-the first thing she had tried- the bubble was permeable to air, so she was not going to suffocate. She was, however, in danger of dehydration and starvation. More acutely, she felt the steadily increasing need to perform certain bodily functions that required her to remove several articles of clothing and she did not want to contemplate what the smell in the bubble would be like if she did not manage to do so in time.

"Argh!" The krogan stopped pacing in front to the forcefield, lifted his shotgun and fired a shot straight into the forcefield.

Liara screamed and twisted around in a desperate attempt to evade the shot, but she could have saved herself the trouble The bubble would not let her move and in any case, there was no need. Whatever its original intent, the force field was highly effective and the blast was deflected harmlessly. He stood there for a moment, breathing heavily.

"Just you wait. We'll have you out of there soon enough if I have to blow this building apart to do it."

The krogan turned around and stalked off, leaving Liara alone with the ever-silent geth.

 **-0-0-0-**

 **Therum, approaching the ruins.**

The Mako came to a stop and the ramp dropped down.

"Last stop. All passengers, please disembark. Do not forget your belongings. Thank you for travelling Mako Express and please come again soon!"

"About time!" Wrex grumbled as he unfolded himself with some difficulty.

Shepard grinned. "Sorry, but this thing wasn't designed for Krogan."

"Or for turians," Garrus muttered as he rubbed the top of his head. "From the height of it, I'd say it was designed for volus."

Williams snorted. "Yeah, right. Then we could stack them on top of each other. The moment the ramp drops, they'll come rolling out like bowling balls."

"Chief." There was a warning note in Lieutenant Alenko's voice, but it was drowned out by multi-species laughter.

"Alright, alright. " Shepard looked around. "Listen up, please. We're about a kilometre away from the ruins. According to the images we got from Normandy, there is a small encampment,-modern stuff, not ancient- between us and the prothean buildings. Probably a left-over from that first expedition. So far, no movement spotted, but that doesn't mean much. Remember, we're not dealing with your standard opponents. If these geth don't want to move, they'll be as still as rocks, and the same has been observed for the xenomorphs, if they're around. So keep your eyes open and stay in cover as much as you can. Jin, Estanza, drive the Mako back to that wide spot in the canyon where Normandy can pick you up."

 **-0-0-0-**

The path narrowed to the point where they could only advance one person at a time. Shepard's eyes narrowed as she looked ahead. About fifty meters ahead of them, the path widened abruptly, creating an open area littered with large rocks. beyond that open space was a solid wall of rock, with only a narrow path leading upward. At the top of the cliff, she could see several artificial structures, including shipping containers and what appeared to be a small observation tower.

"I don't like this. This place couldn't make for a better ambush-site if it'd been designed that way. Alenko?"

"Yes, Commander."

"Get your drones up and try to see what's on that ridgeline. Unless I'm sadly mistaken, we're going to have to fight our way out of the canyon."

They waited, as two small drones spun up, rose into the air and flew off.

"No movement, ma'am. If they're there, they're sitting still."

"Try the tower. Remember, they can fold up pretty well so you may have to change the angle to get a look."

"Yes, ma'am. Moving the drone now- There!" Alenko tapped the screen. "One geth platform. It's folded up like an origami inside the tower.

"And you can bet your first-born there are more," Shepard nodded. "Probably inside those containers. This is gonna be tricky. We cannot afford to be pinned down here with the geth shooting down from the ridgeline. When the shooting starts, you and Zorah stay low. Try to get into their communications network. If being alone makes them dumb, then let's make sure they become as stupid as possible. Vakarian, stay with them. Keep an eye on the 'bot in that tower. The moment the shooting starts-"

"I drop him." The turian nodded.

"Yes, but watch yourself. From that ridgeline, they can shoot down on you, even if you're behind a rock. Wrex, Williams, with me. We'll get as far forward as we can. The moment they move, we charge up that path and we keep moving. We have to get to the top so we can clear the ridgeline, or the others will be pinned down."

The team spread out, staying low and behind the rocks as much as possible.

"Movement!" Alenko sounded tense. "At least two more geth moving up to the ridgeline."

"Understood." Shepard checked her surroundings one more time.

"Wrex, Williams, when I say the word, move fast. Get right up against the cliff face, underneath their guns. The rest of you, stay low, wait for them to make the first move." She checked again. Still no sign of geth on the rocks above them, but that was only a matter of time. "Now!"

Without looking to see if the others were with her, Shepard broke cover and ran, as fast as she could. Suddenly, there was movement, then the sound of mass accelerator fire as at least one, probably more, shooters above her opened fire.

There was a crack of a supersonic projectile passing through the atmosphere and a geth platform fell out of the observation tower. Shepard hit the face of the rock, looked around. Williams was next to her. Wrex, moving with a speed that belied his bulk, was already ahead moving up the path out of the canyon.

"Let's go!" There was no time to lose. Gunfire was streaking back and forth above them, but the geth held the high ground. Under those circumstances, the battle would be over quickly.

Shepard reached the small path, Williams close behind. There was no sign of Wrex, other than the remains of a geth platform, lying on the ground with multiple spikes sticking into and through its chest plate. She kept moving, going up the path as fast as possible without risking a fall.

The area on top of the cliff was flat, but covered with large boulders that could provide cover, as well as the varies containers and prefab buildings. As Shepard reached the top, she saw Wrex, his barrier down and his armour scorched, who had taken cover behind one of the containers.

"How many?"

"Three, at least!"

Shepard risked a quick glance around the rocks. There were two geth platforms near the edge, covered partially by the rocky terrain, firing down. No sign of the third, but that meant nothing and there was an excellent chance that there were other still hidden. She fired a burst in the general direction of the geth, more to distract them from firing down into the canyon than with any hop if hitting them. Theo geth platforms moved, turning to face the new threat.  
More gunfire came out of the valley below, submachinegun fire from Alenko, and again the distinctive cracking noise of Zakarian's sniper rifle. One of the geth went down, the other fell back from the edge, trying to escape from the potential crossfire. As the platform moved, Wrex stepped out, his biotics rippling through the air, tossing it back and out into the open. Another burst of automatic fire and it was gone.

 _Where is the third?_ From the corner of her eye, Shepard spotted movement. Another geth platform, hiding behind the rocks was shifting to aim a rifle. She fired a quick burst to force it back into cover. There was more movement, in several locations, were additional geth seemed to be hiding between the rocks and the prefab buildings. They were far enough from the edge, not to be a threat to her remaining team members in the canyon.

"Alenko?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Ridgeline is clear, but there are more geth dug in. Any chance of jamming them?"

"We're seeing a lot of signals. Trying to provide as much interference as possible."

"Good."

She moved, sprinting out of one place of cover and into the next. It was only a few steps, but even so, Shepard felt at least one hit slamming into her shields. Not enough to bring them down, but depleting them to a dangerous level. Still, it had allowed her to close the distance. Behind her, she could hear the characteristic rattle of the full-auto option on a Draco assault rifle as Williams sprayed gunfire over the geth's position.

"Commander, Alenko here. We're in. Their communications should go down in a few seconds. But it won't last, so whatever you're going to do-"

"I'll do it fast." She checked behind her. The others were ready; Williams almost directly behind her, Wrex off to the side.

"Now!

They advanced, moving from cover to cover, firing as they came. One geth fell to bullets. A second, trying to flank from behind a container took a shotgun blast to the chest, then was flattened as Wrex, moving fast, slammed into it. A third tried to fall back, but a quick burst of fire took off one of its legs, and a second burst put it down for good.

Shepard stood for a moment, looking for new targets. Another geth platform suddenly broke cover and started moving toward them firing as it walked.

 _What do you know, they really are getting dumber._

She fired another burst into the platform and it went down.

"All clear?"

"All clear!"

"Good." She looked around. That had gone a lot better than she had feared. _Score one for multi-species fire teams_. "Alenko, Zora, Vakarian. You can break cover; we got them all. Join up with us and we'll move on."

 **-0-0-0-**

"Now that's an impressive sight."

It was, even though they had hardly noticed during the brief engagement. From the top of the canyon wall, they could clearly see the spires of the old prothean buildings rising against the sky. many of them seemed broken, as though part of the structure had collapsed, but for something that was at least fifty thousand years old, it was quite remarkable

"You've got to wonder though," Williams mused. "Why did they build it in a place like this? I mean, the view is spectacular, but it isn't very practical."

Shepard considered or a second. "Well, the area might have been a bit more hospitable fifty thousand years back. And even if it wasn't, there are some advantages to living in a place like this."

"Right, nobody is gonna be knocking on your door with a copy of Watchtower around here."

"Exactly. Security-wise, it makes things a lot easier. No animals, so nothing moves. And if you do see motion, you can bet they're coming for you, because there is nothing else around here. So, they're either invited guests or the enemy. Makes tactical planning more straightforward."

"Speaking of security." Vakarian walked up to them. "What happened to all the geth that were supposed to be around here? I mean, there were at least four ships. And I cannot believe that what we just fought was everything they dropped."

"Agreed." Shepard jerked her head toward the prothean ruins. "How much do you want to bet that there is another ambush lying in wait somewhere in those buildings?" She shrugged. "But we don't have much of a choice. I suspect T'Soni is till around. Otherwise there wouldn't be much reason for the geth to stick around. Spread out as much as you can and advance. And for God' sake, pay attention. We've got a lot of open ground to cover and I don't want to get pinned down in the open."

 **-0-0-0-**

"Still nothing?"

"No." Garrus adjusted his vizor while scanning the buildings. They were halfway across the open ground and nothing had moved.

"Normandy?" Shepard seemed to be increasingly on edge, the longer nothing happened.

"Nothing on our end, Commander. Their ships are still standing off from the ruins and we see no motion at all."

"Okay." Shepard started moving again. "Let's go, people."

They picked up speed. Garrus' eyes traced across the buildings. In a way, he could understand Shepard's worries. They were in a vulnerable position and this was the perfect moment for an ambush. There was no cover to be found within at least a hundred meters, while anyone in the ruins would have their pick of hiding spots. Still, it seemed as though-

"Movement! High in the buildings!"

"Forward! Run!" Without checking if they obeyed her command, Shepard sprinted toward the prothean ruins. Garrus, after a moment's hesitation, followed. From the corner of his eye, he could see the others moving as well, still spread out across the plateau, but converging on the buildings. Even as he ran, he saw the movement again, a small shape that seemed to leap from one position, high up in a ruined building, to another.

There was a shot, then another and he saw the tell-tale flare of a collapsing barrier, just as Williams dove behind a pile of rubble.

"Shepard to team. Everyone in cover?"

There was a chorus of voices confirming their positions.

"Good. Vakarian, high-up, you said?"

Garrus looked up, trying to find the place where he had first sene the movement. "Yes, Commander. Something like two or three stories up." As he scanned his surroundings, his hand went for his sidearm. Rapid fire would be more important than accuracy in this kind of fight.

 _Nothing, nothing, more nothing._ The partially collapsed buildings formed perfect hiding places. As long as the geth did not move they would be almost impossible to-

A faint shimmer, as from a barrier of a cloaking device triggered his visor's alert. "Commander, my position, about ten meters high. I'm about to- " Suddenly the cloak dropped and a strange, shape, more organic than robotic appeared, seemingly fixed against the wall of the building. At the same moment, the sensor's in Garrus armour was triggered by the appearance of a targeting laser.

"Spirits!" Garrus flung himself to the side, trying to bring his pistol to bear.

"Got it!" Shepard's shout nearly coincided with his own and a burst of automatic fire hit the general area of the thing. Garrus raised his pistol, firing even as he was lining up. At the same moment, the thing leapt with incredible agility, sailing through the air to land on another building, sticking to the wall as though it was glued there. As soon as it landed, the shimmer reappeared as it started to recloak, but it was too late. More fire from multiple rifles slammed into it, stopping the cloaking process and sending it tumbling down.

"Great, a fucking mechanical frog with a sniper rifle." Even through the translator, Garrus could hear Williams' disgust, though her words made little sense.

"Cut the chatter." Shepard's voice sounded clipped. "Check around, there's bound to be more. Alenko, Zorah, scan anything and everything. Any movement, even if it's as much as a twitch I want to know. Wrex, Williams, converge on me and-"

"More company." The anticipation in Wrex's voice was unmistakable. "Two walkers. No, three."

"Okay, change of plan. Williams, move over and support Wrex. Vakarian, any more of those jumping things?"

Garrus had been scanning the buildings even as they spoke. "No, Commander, but as long as they don't move..."

"I know. Just keep scanning. Better a last-minute warning than no warning at all."

Garrus moved cautiously along what had once been a prothean street, scanning the buildings as he advanced. A sudden burst of gunfire announced that Wrex and Williams had engaged the enemy.

"I'm tracking a communications signal," Tali Zorah's voice made him halt. "It's faint, but I think the source is nearby. Vakarian, it's almost on top of you"

 _Probably_ _another stealth unit._ Garrus flattened himself against a nearby wall, trying to make himself as small as possible; not an easy task for a turian, thanks to their height and somewhat stiff bodies. If the enemy unit was above him, it would have difficulty finding taking the shot. _So it will have to move to get a better angle, which means-_

The geth platform leapt across his line of vision from the building that was serving as his cover to the one opposite. Garrus fired, and, with a combination of luck and skill hit it in mid-air, spoiling its leap. The geth tumbled down, landing on all fours. It twisted around, trying to scurry away, but Garrus hit it again, then a third time, putting it down for good.

"One more down."

"Good. Be careful, it was communicating with something. Probably nearby."

 **-0-0-0-**

Lieutenant Kaiden Alenko, United Systems Military Marine Corps was not having a good day. Under normal circumstances, his primary contribution to an infantry battle would be reconnaissance, using the elaborate sensor suite attached to his armour, as well as a number of small observation drones, to locate targets and provide advance warning of potential threats.  
Unfortunately, these were not normal circumstances. The small recon drones that he used to scan the surrounding area contained some of the best sensor technology humanity had ever produced, but they were not perfect. Limited by their small size, they relied primarily on movement to determine what was -and what was not- worthy of a second look. That worked fine against organic enemies. Against geth, it was not nearly as useful. Geth only moved when they had a need to do so. When they had no such need, they remained in one place, and they could sit still far better than even the best trained organics. They did not twitch; they did not fidget; they did not even have to breath. As a result, the drones simply spotted no movement at all. Lacking movement, they had to rely on other factors to determine points of interest. Such a possibility had been taken into account when the drones' software was designed, allowing them to use both passive and active sensors to scan an area and use a complex algorithm to determine what was interesting. However, the concept of 'interesting' was inherently subjective and not something that any computer program, no matter how advanced, could easily determine. This was a particular problem in the current situation because, in the half-collapsed ruins of an old prothean settlement, nothing matched the drones' built-in library, and therefore everything was potentially of interest. As a result, he was being overloaded with potential threat warnings, while at the same time things that should have been highlighted for further investigation where being missed. Things, like the large, shiny pyramid, sitting in the middle of what had once been a street, that the drones had apparently dismissed as harmless.  
This was one of those moments when good old human intuition could be a big help; and intuition was telling him that shiny, clearly new pyramids did not belong in the middle of the street of a fifty-thousand-year-old ruin.

As Kaiden watched, the thing suddenly moved, rising up on three legs and unfolding iself to raise a long neck, topped by an oversized version of the typical geth flashlight head. Kaiden did not wiat to find out what this thing was and threw himself to the side, landing behind pile of rubble that had fallen off a nearby building. A fraction of a second later, the geth platform fired. Kaiden felt a wave of heat wash over him, his barrier collapsing as it passed. When he looked up, the pile off rubble and debrid that had protected him looked scorched.

 _Run!_

Fortunately, the half-collapsed buildings offered plenty more cover and made it relatively easy for someone human-sized to pass through, whereas the large geth machine was stuck to the streets.

"Commander!"

"Here." Shepard's voice came clear through the communicator.

"A large geth unit. It's on its way. We're going to need more firepower."

 **-0-0-0-**

"Here, take a look." Shepard crouched down next to Tali Zorah and showed her the image on the small display. The quarian muttered something under her breath that the translator did not pick up. Then she looked up.

"We call it an armature. Basically a siege unit. Slow, but lots of armour, shielding, and a big gun."

"Blast. Where's the Mako when we really need it?" Shepard shook her head. "We'll just have to make do." She checked her surroundings. Most of her team was spread out over the ruins of a large building, which provided reasonably good cover. "Wrex, Williams, status?"

"Two down, Commander. One more to-" Over the comm, SHepard could hear a burst of gunfire. "Make that three down."

"Good, fall back on my position. We have a problem."

In less than a minute they had joined her.

"Alright, here's the deal: We have some sort of heavy geth unit on the move. It's slow, but it has armour and shields, and we cannot have it running around while we search for T'Soni. And I cannot bring Normandy in to shoot it up, either. Too much risk of buildings collapsing if we start using that amount of firepower. So, we have to take it out ourselves."

"Not with rifle fire." Tali Zorah's voice came over the comm. "EVen if we manage to wear down its shields, the armour will stop the bullets. Meanwhile, we're all easy targets and and that plasma cannon can one-shot any of us, even in heavy armour."

"Can you hack the shield and bring it down?"

There was a moment of silence.

"Yes, but it won't last. A few seconds and it recharges."

"That should be enough." Shepard unslung the grenade launcher on her back. "I'll put in an armourd piercing grenade. Question is, where to hit it. I won't get more than one sho and that thing must have some redundancy built in."

"What about the head. The central processor is in the hull, but the sensors are in the head."

"Too small, and it moves to much."

"What about..." The quarian hesitated. "what about the neck, or the point where the neck enters the hull. It's flexible, so the armour is not too strong and all the sensor feeds pass through that point."

Shepard risked a quick glance down the street, where the geth unit had come to a stop, searching for targets.

"Good enough. People, this will have to be a combined effort. Zorah will bring the shield down. The moment it drops, hittaht thing with everything you have to draw its attention, then break off. Remember, the gun has an area effect, so it's not enough to get into cover. You have to it turns it's head away from me, I'll fire."

 **-0-0-0-**

The geth armature moved forward, it's head swivelling from side to side as it searched for the intruders that the other, now destoyed, platforms had encountered. That in itself had not been such a bad thing. any of the routines on those platforms had copied themselves to the armature before destruction, increasing it's nominal intelligence and enhancing its capability for independent analysis and action.

As the armature moved, it became aware of a signal.

***/ CREATOR PRESENCE DETECTED _ ENHANCE ELECTRONIC DEFENSES _ ALERT- MALFUNCTION /***

A command string entered the armature's hardware interface and its barrier collapsed. Immediately, the shield generators reactivated, but re-establishing a shield took time. Not much time, but still a little and at that same moment, a hail of small projectiles rattled against the unprotected hull.  
The armature turned on its three legs, it's neck twisting as it aligned its primary sensors as well as its main gun with the new threat, which seemed to emanate from all over the nearby buildings. A fast, highly energetic round slammed into the head. It failed to penetrate, but the impact interfered with the optical sensor, causing another system reset.

As the armature turned, Shepard rose from behind the low wall, where she had crouched and lifted her grenade launcher. While hardly the most accurate weapon, it had been designed with the consideration that it would be fired rapidly during an emergency and its sights had been optimized for minimal aiming time. As soon as the sights lined up, Shepard fired and the projectile sped away and slammed into its target.

It was an old concept. developed in desperation to give soldiers on foot a chance against armoured vehicles and perhaps the people who had come up with it in the middle of humanity's most desperate war would be pleased that it could still do its job, centuries later. The grenade hit the target and a sensor at the tip of the projectile was crushed by the impact. In a fraction of a moment, the signal travelled back into the grenade, causing the payload to explode. As it did so, the explosion liquified the metal plate in front of it and that liquid metal, superheated and accelerated to hypersonic velocity slammed into the geth armour.

There were defences against a shaped charge, such as multi-layered armour, or even two armour plates separated by a layer of air. SUch things could reduce the impact, or even render it altogether useless. But in a galaxy where all armoured piercing weapons relied on the velocity of the projectile, few people bothered with such defences and the geth were ultimately not given to original thinking. They analysed past events and based their decisions on the analysis, rather than dreaming up hypothetical threats. Unfortunately for them, no past event had prepared them for something that humans had dreamt up before they ever left their homeworld. The jet of molten steel hit the armour, liquifying part of it in turn, and then proceeded into the internal structure of the armature. From the outside the damage looked small, just a hole, a few centimetres wide, surrounded by buckled and scorched metal. However, that outward appearance belied the impact of a stream of superheated metal on the mechanics and electronics of the armature's insides and the geth construct collapsed, even as smoke started billowing out of the newly created hole.

"Problem solved." Shepard looked around. "Everyone, good job. Let's spread out and search for that asari. But watch yourselves. There may be more geth out there."


	24. Digging a deeper hole

**I don't own either AvP or Mass Effect**

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 **Wow, this has taken a lot of time. I'm sorry for the long wait, but I was unhappy with the dialogue and it took me several attempts to get it the way I wanted.  
**

 ** **!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-****

 **Therum**

"Commander, over here!"

"What is it?"

"Looks like new construction. I think this was done by the first team of archaeologists."

As Shepard walked over to join the others, she saw what had them excited. Adjacent to one of the old prothean buildings was a mass of scaffolding, culminating in what looked like a tunnel, excavated into the side of the building. It was definitely not part of the original design.

"Any idea indication what was so special about this building?"

Kaiden shrugged. "Well, it is more intact than the others. I guess they simply started with it and never got around to doing any of the others. The thing is, if this Dr T'Soni had enough time to run and hide, I figure this is where she might go."

"True." Shepard considered for a moment. So far, the geth had not returned, but Normandy was tracking several of their ships in the vicinity, so that might change at any moment. They were running out of time and the search was not going well. They had quickly found the wreckage of a shuttle. If T'Soni had been inside when it got hit, she was dead. However, that did not explain the fact that there were still geth crawling around the ruins.

"Okay, we'll go and take look. Lieutenant?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"You will stay here. Find a safe spot to hide, and monitor the situation. Let me know the moment anyone shows up. I don't want to get trapped inside a tunnel with one of those big geth constructs blocking the exit."

 **-0-0-0-**

 _How long have I been hanging here?_ The question had become an obsession. Unfortunately, she had no way of answering. Her omnitool was still attached to her wrist, but she couldn't reach it or move it to a position where she could look at it and she had lost all sense of time. By now every muscle in her body ached from lack of movement. She was hungry, thirsty and in desperate need to relieve herself. Meanwhile, the only company she had were the geth, who were still studying the forcefield that separated her from them with seemingly unending patience and thoroughness.  
Now, something had changed. All three geth platforms turned around as in unison and abandoned their tasks. they started climbing up the metal stairs that the original expedition had put in place to facilitate their inspection of the prothean building and disappeared from Liara's view. For what seemed like an eternity nothing happened, then, suddenly, the entire building seemed to explode with noise that echoed through the empty structure.  
 _Gunfire._ Liara recognized the sound, but there was something weird about it. A mass accelerator gun didn't actually make any noise when it fired. What people heard was the sonic boom of the projectiles. This noise was different, deeper. Somehow it reminded her of-

 _A cargo hold, dimly lit, the walls and crates covered with a strange, organic substance. Her crewmates hanging from the walls, embedded in the stuff, dead or dying. And those things, dark, ugly shapes that seemed to come out of the walls, or drop from the ceiling. Then the deafening noise of multiple guns as strange, asari-like aliens opened fire._

Liara shook her head, about the only movement that the forcefield bubble permitted her. The nightmares of that day had followed her a long time, but it had been more than two decades. She could not afford to let it distract her now.  
More gunfire. The wreck of a geth trooper came tumbling down, bouncing off the scaffolding that held up the stairs before it hit the ground. Then voices sounded.

"Looks like that was the last of them, ma'am."

"Good. You know, giant fire support platforms aside, I'm just not impressed with the quarian version of Skynet. Robots, robots, and more robots, and they all look the same. Seriously, by now it should be able to produce geth that look exactly like quarians."

"Then send them back in time to kill someone?"

"Exactly. I mean, where's the originality, the flair? Can you imagine what those movies would have looked like if they'd given the lead actor, what's his name, a giant flashlight-prosthesis to wear as a helmet?"

"Oh my god! Ma'am, please, don't ruin that franchise for me! Those are classics!"

A snort of laughter, then footsteps coming down the stairs.

"I know, but isn't it just a little sad? A couple of humans, centuries ago, when all the computers on Earth combined had less processing power than what I now carry in my translation implant, described a potential machine revolt with so much imagination. But when it actually happens for real it doesn't live up to our expectations. Perhaps we should send the geth a copy of the collectors' edition. Give them some ideas."

More footsteps and the group came into view. Liara stared, trying to make sense of what she was seeing. It looked like two humans, a krogan, a turian, and a quarian, which was about as unlikely a combination as anyone could imagine. Humans and quarians didn't play well with others, especially turians, for historical reasons and krogan didn't get along with anybody unless they got paid to. This group should be shooting at each other, rather than fighting geth. Still, at least they were organic and they seemed to be anti-geth. Both were major points in their favour under present circumstances.

"Hello!" Calling out was difficult with her throat as dry as it was. "Anyone, I need help!"

While her voice wasn't as loud as she could have wished, it was enough to draw the group's attention. The human in the lead walked up to the forcefield and studied her for a moment.

"Well, well. What do we have here? It's the Vitruvian asari."

"It does look like it, Commander," The other human nodded. "Though, technically, shouldn't she be naked for that?"

"I guess so, but that's nothing new. A lot of people of multiple species would argue that asari should always be naked."

There was sniggering, or its nearest species-dependent equivalent, from the others. Liara felt herself blushing. While the original comment had been incomprehensible, the rest of the conversation was not going in a direction she wanted or liked. The human in the lead studied the force field.

"I guess this explains why the geth were still around." She turned her attention back to Liara. "Dr T'Soni, I presume?"

For some reason, the second human started sniggering again.

"Okay, enough of that. So, tell me, Doctor, what are you doing in that bubble?"

Liara took a deep breath, trying to calm herself.

"It's some sort of containment system. I was exploring these ruins when the geth landed." She shook her head. "Can you imagine, geth beyond the Veil! They haven't been seen in centuries and now-"

"And now they are popping up all over the place," The human interrupted. "We know. The bubble, how?"

Liara tried to rearrange her thoughts, "When the geth came, I tried to hide in the ruins, but they found me here. I just wanted to activate the force field to keep them out, but I must have hit something else as well. Because the next thing I know, I'm floating here. Or maybe they're linked somehow. The geth tried to get past it, but they couldn't. The controls are on this side of the forcefield. Then the krogan left and-"

"Wait, what krogan?"

"I'm sorry." Clearly, the ordeal of that past few hours was affecting her even more than she had realized. "There was a krogan with the geth. He actually seemed to be in charge. He left some time ago."

"I see." The human looked at her for a moment. "No, actually I don't see. A krogan in charge of geth?" She sighed. "Okay, why not? Let's just role with it. Life's crazy anyway." She turned to the others. "Alright, everyone, look around this bloody cave and see if we can find a way into that cell." She stared, clearly trying to see past Liara. "What's behind you?"

Liara twisted around. "It's an elevator shaft. It goes all the way to the top of the building. But I don't know if it still works."

The human thought for a moment. "I guess we can get Normandy to hover over the building and drop a team down the shaft to get you out, but I'd rather not bring the ship this low if I can help it. Not with the geth crawling all over the place. Anyway, while we're waiting, what can you tell me about Saren?"

Liara stiffened. "Saren?"

"Yes, Saren. Saren Arterius. Turian, Spectre, metal limb and facial prosthesis, doesn't like humans. That Saren."

This was a subject Liara didn't want to discuss. Still, if talking about Saren would get her out of the bubble, she'd talk about Saren. "I know who he is."

"Good. And would you also happen to know where we can find him? I really need to talk to him."

"No! No, I don't know where he is." She almost had to laugh at that. "Saren is a Spectre. He goes wherever he wants to go. He certainly doesn't keep me informed

"Really? What about your mother? Does he keep her informed?"

"No, I don't... Look..." Liara tried to order her thoughts, to come up with a convincing argument. "Saren is an acquaintance of my mother, yes. But I don't really know him personally. And my mother and I don't communicate on a regular basis. I don't know even know where she is, or if Saren is with her and I don't-"

"Yes, yes. You don't know. I get the picture." The human's head moved a bit, as though she was studying the forcefield, but Liara suspected that the eyes behind the visor kept focussed on her. "Alright, first things first. We'll get you out of that bubble. But this conversation isn't over. I bet you know more than you think. Besides, I've got a couple of questions that require your, eh, professional expertise." She turned away to join the rest of her group in the search for a way through the forcefield, leaving Liara to contemplate the strange turn her life was taking.

 **-0-0-0-**

Shepard studied the surrounding area. It really was a cross between a room and a cave, part rock, part walls, all mess. The protheans had dug this building deep into the ground, then apparently covered the rocky surface with their own walls, but at least part of that had crumbled over time. T'Soni seemed to have found the only part that was still in the original state, then managed to lock herself inside.

"Ma'am?"

She turned around as Chief Williams approached.

"Yes?"

"Ma'am, maybe we should reconsider this. I mean, right now we have her contained in that bubble, it makes questioning her a lot easier."

Shepard snorted. "What do you suggest, Chief? Sure, we can keep asking her questions, but she can keep not answering just as easily. Perfect stalemate. It's not as though we can do anything to make her talk from here. That forcefield works both ways. In any case, we haven't got all day and she'll be just as contained aboard Normandy. Besides, I tend to believe what she said. Like I've said before, if you're planning to launch a terrorist attack against a major power, you don't leave a forwarding address with your kids. Now, she may know other things, like the places her mother is most likely to go to if she wants to hide, but that is going to be a lengthy conversation and one that I don't want to have here."

"You think that krogan she talked about is going to show up?"

"Together with his geth friends, yes. Krogan aren't known for avoiding battles. If he'd still be around, we'd have met him outside. So, I can only guess he went away to get some heavy equipment to dig little miss blue there out of her bubble. That would probably involve going back to whatever ship he came on. By now he has to know that we're here, so either he gives up and goes home, again not a very krogan-like thing to do, or he comes back with reinforcements. So, let's make sure we can get out of here as soon as possible."

Shepard looked around the room, again. This was taking far too long for comfort. Unfortunately, there was not much she could do about it. What she knew about prothean technology could be written on a post-it and still leave room for some doodling. Even the modern equipment, left behind by the first archaeological expedition, had been produced in Citadel Space and was largely unfamiliar to her.

She opened a comm channel.

"Alenko? Any movement?"

"Nothing on the ground ma'am, but one of those ships just popped up. It's hovering just above the mountains. Normandy's got it covered, but-"

"Yeah, I'd rather not have a naval battle while we're stuck down here. I'll try to hurry up, but we seem to have hit a bit of a snag. Keep monitoring."

She shut her comm down and considered once more to call Normandy down and try to enter the building from above, just as Vakarian looked at her.

"Commander, I think we can do something with this!"

Shepard walked over. he was standing next to a big piece of machinery, clearly not prothean in origin.

"And what is 'this'?"

"It's an excavation laser drill. They must have used it for the original excavation, then just left it here, but as far as I can tell, it's still fully operational." Garrus tapped the control panel. "It's password-locked, but we may be able to hack it. Then we can drill a hole underneath that forcefield. With a bit of luck, we can get behind the field and access the controls."

Shepard looked at the device. "What about us? I mean, the Asari is probably safe behind that forcefield. Worst thing that could happen is that our drilling cuts the power, the bubble disappears and she falls flat on her face. But we have no protection against the blast."

Vakarian's mandibles twitched. "No worries. The drill includes a mass effect field around the blast zone, so the gas cannot spread."

Shepard nodded. "Okay, let's do this. Zorah? Mind taking a look at this?"

The quarian walked over to the panel. "No problem. It's just standard password protection. Just a convenient way to stop unauthorized use, but no protection against an expert. Give me a moment." She typed a command into the drill's control panel, then switched to her omnitool, then back again. "Got it, I'm in."

"Good. How much can we adjust the aiming? I don't want to hit that forcefield if we can help it. Just dig a nice little tunnel underneath."

"That should work." Tali's fingers were a blur as they moved over her omnitool. "A few degrees down, slightly to the left." She looked up. "And I'm ready."

Shepard looked around. "Everybody, heads up. We're about to drill a tunnel, so get behind the drill, please." She waited as her team scrambled back. "Everybody ready? Fire in the hole!"

Nothing happened.

Shepard sighed. So much for multi-species cooperation. "I mean: use the drill!"

"Oh."

Tali tapped a final command into her omnitool. There was a brief, whining noise, as the drill powered up. Then, the beam struck the rock. For a moment, nothing seemed to happen, then the rock started to glow. Red, white, the intensity increased and Shepard was grateful for the filters built into her helmet, even as a forcefield snapped up from the drill, interposing itself between them and the target area.

The next instant, a cloud formed where the laser struck the rock, obscuring all vision. Shepard braced herself, expecting a shockwave, heat, something, but there was nothing. The drill's forcefields held, shunting the vapour away from them.

"How long?" She asked.

"Should be no more than a few minutes, Tali Zorah answered. "Drills like this are very efficient."

"So I see."

The prediction turned out to be right, within less than five minutes the laser suddenly shut down, even though the forcefields remained up.

"We've hit open air," The quarrian said. "Probably that elevator shaft. Give it a few more seconds and the vapour will dissipate."

They waited. the clouds drifted away, settling on the walls, and ceiling of the cavern they were standing in and the forcefield shut down.

"Excellent!" Shepard smiled behind her visor as she looked at the tunnel that had been dug underneath the cell. On the other side, she could see what looked like an elevator shaft. "Let's go."

The walls, floor and ceiling of their newly dug tunnel were still hot, but not enough to cause trouble for their armoured suits. It was the work of seconds to go through the hole and climb up the elevator shaft, emerging in the cell where the asari was still hanging in her bubble. "First stage successfully completed. What's next?"

"Wait, what? How? What was that? What did you just do?" The asari must have been hanging in there for quite a while because she clearly had trouble keeping up with events.

"Excavation laser," Vakarian said as he looked around the cell.

Shepard nodded. "In true Marine tradition, we achieved progress through superior firepower. The question is, now what?"

"There is a console." The console itself was to the right and slightly behind her. A small, table-like structure marked with a variety of symbols.

"Yes, I see it, but now what? I don't read prothean."

Dr T'Soni twisted her head as far as she could. "It cannot be that hard. I activated the force field, but I was in a hurry and must have hit something else as well, so this bubble appeared at the same time. Just the one button should switch it on and off."

"But you don't know which button?"

"No, but-"

"So, let me get this straight. You, the supposed expert, accidentally pushed the wrong button and you ended up hanging in a bubble. And now you want me, someone who'd never even seen a prothean artefact until two weeks ago, to start pushing buttons at random and hope for the best? I'm up for it if you are, but then, I'm not the one hanging in what may, or may not, be the prothean equivalent of a torture chamber."

"I very much doubt that a civilization as advanced as the protheans would resort to something as barbaric as torture," T'Soni said, sounding somewhat indignant.

"Right. So, they called it 'extreme methods or enhanced interrogation techniques' or however that reads in prothean. Trust me, if that same forcefield starts to tear the tentacles off your skull you won't care what they called it. Now, to be completely honest, there is a part of me that just wants to start pressing buttons and see what happens, but for all we know this thing is actually designed to carry out the prothean version of the death penalty and as we say, 'dead asari tell no tales', so that's a risk I'm not willing to take. No, let's not do that. Williams?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Get your tablet out, link to my helmet camera and show it to the good doctor. Perhaps she can figure out what I'm supposed to push."

"Yes, ma'am."

Shepard studied the control panel. As expected, she could not make heads or tails from it.

"On the right!" T'Soni's voice sounded strained. "Top half of the panel."

Shepard traced her fingers over the symbols.

"Not there, a bit closer to the centre."

She moved her hand.

"That one, can you bring it closer, I think it says..." She trailed off. Shepard bent down, bringing her helmet camera closer to the prothean symbols.

"That's the one. Just press down on it."

"Okay. Here goes nothing." Shepard pressed down. behind her, there was a gasp, then a thump. She turned, to see T'Soni crumbled on the floor beneath where the bubble had been. Chief Williams stood next to her, probably smirking, though her helmet made it impossible to know for certain.

"Well, that worked." She moved over and hoisted the asari up. "On your feet, Doctor. We're getting out of here."

"Yes, yes, of course." The asari was clearly a bit disoriented. Not surprising considering how long she must have been hanging in her cell. "The elevator, it should still be working."

"Impressive," Shepard considered the situation. "A forcefield-base cell, now an elevator. And all this stuff is fifty-thousand years old, correct? Those protheans build stuff to last."

"Oh yes," T'Soni sounded stronger now, as she walked toward the elevator shaft. "It really is quite amazing how much of their technology remains functional, when you consider how much time has passed. Why, we have found-"

The building shook, as though from an earthquake, nearly causing her to fall. Shepard reached out to steady her. "Has that happened before."

The asari shook her head. "No. At least, not while I was here. But-"

"But what?"

"We're effectively standing on top of a volcano. The ground is none too stable. And you just fired an excavation drill. It may have disturbed the building."

The ground shook again, stronger this time.

"Okay, we're getting out of here. Now."

Shepard looked around, checking her team mates. "Everyone, get on that elevator. T'Soni, get this stuff working. I'll call Normandy and-" Her comm unit beeped.

"Yes."

"Ma'am, Akenko here!"

"Yes, Lieutenant?"

"The geth are back, ma'am. One of their ships just dropped its troops, right on top of the building."

Shepard sighed. "Of course they did. It never rains, but it pours. Very well. We'll assume that they'll be waiting for us topside. Either way, this building is coming down. We have no choice but to use this blasted elevator. Alenko, move in but don't engage yet if you can avoid it. I'd rather catch them between us. And relay to Normandy that they need to come down and pick us up. If that geth ship gets in the way, take it out."

She shut the communicator down. "How is this elevator coming along?"

"It's working." T'Soni tapped the control panel. "We can ride it all the way to the top. Prothean buildings usually have roof-access, so we should be able to get on top of the building. If your ship can just hover over the roof, we'll be able to escape."

"Good. Then, let's get the hell out of here. Everyone, stay sharp. The geth are waiting for us top-side. Wrex?"

"Yeah?"

"I really don't want to fight a krogan on a rooftop. Too much chance of getting tossed off. If he's up there, do me a favour and take him down. The rest of us will deal with the geth."

"You got it."

They rode the elevator in silence. As they reached the top of the building, the platform slowed down, then came to a stop in the middle of a circular room. There was no one to be seen.

"Spread out!" Shepard checked her surroundings. The room was empty, but the central area was ringed with support pillars, providing ample cover for anyone who wanted to lay in ambush. "I don't like this." She tapped her comm unit. "Alenko?"

"Yes, ma'am. I'm in position on the next building. They're still on the roof. Moving now toward you. Normandy is standing by, ready to pick you up."

"Good. Everyone, be ready. Hostile contact imminent."

As she spoke, there was movement in the open arc that led from the room to the open air.

A single krogan, surrounded by half a dozen geth platforms entered.

"Surrender!" The krogan thought for a second. "Or don't, that'll be even more fun."

 **!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-**

 **A/N** :

 _Prothean tech was incredibly reliable and built to last (Most of our stuff breaks down after a few years. Some of theirs still works 50,000 years later, even without proper maintenance.)_ _ _Of all the prothean elevators you use, many of which had not been used in thousands of years, not one got stuck between floors and they always take you where you need to go. I understand that they didn't want to slow down the story with pointless delays, but man, that is some quality engineering. It does make sense though. Eezo based tech is hideously expensive, so it has to be made to last. (It would lead to a complicated financial system, though. Purchases few and far between, but very expensive, pretty much everything would be bought using extended loans like cars and houses today. It can be done, but it puts a lot of strain on the banking system. I guess that's why the Volus are so crucial. This kind of situation was described by John Ringo in his Aldenata series.)  
__ _They also must have had some insanely user-friendly interfaces, loaded with idiot-proof safeties. Everybody in the ME universe is always just casually pushing buttons and activating things and with the exception of Liara accidentally locking herself in that bubble, it never goes horribly wrong. Personally, I would be afraid to just look at that stuff, let alone start messing with the controls. Makes you wonder about the protheans. Perhaps the average prothean was as dumb as a rock, so they needed to be protected from themselves, or they were so quick to file lawsuits that the manufacturing companies went to extremes to avoid liability.  
_

 _That laser drill has to vaporize the material that it drills through, but turning that much rock into gas would create a pressure wave that would kill everyone in the room. (And it would not form a tunnel, but rather a massive crater, completely destroying the building). On top of that, the temperature of the newly formed gas would be in the thousands of Kelvin, instantly burning any survivors alive. And you have to vaporize it. Just melting wouldn't help, because then you' be left with lava. So, I figured there has to be some sort of technological solution. This was one of those moments where education can be a curse. I just cannot suspend disbelieve because I know what's going to happen if you ever tried that in real life. Even on a miniature scale (laser dental drills), this is a massive problem.  
_


	25. On edge

**I don't own either Mass Effect or Alien vs Predator.**

 **!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-**

 **Therum, prothean** **ruins**

There are times when you can afford to make allowances for other people's idiocy. This was not one of these moments. Shepard looked at the krogan in disbelief.

"Seriously? This building is collapsing into a volcano, and you want to start a fight on a rooftop?"

The krogan smiled. "Exciting isn't it?"

Shepard shook her head. They had a rogue Spectre, they had xenomorphs on the loose, they had just rescued what appeared to be a genuine damsel in distress and now, now they had their very own cartoon villain. _Who wants to fight on a rooftop, over an active volcano no less. When did my life become this bizarre?_ That was a question for another time. As for now...

"You know what, I don't have time for this. Kill them all!" She moved as she spoke, throwing herself aside to avoid the inevitable gunfire.

It was an ugly scenario for a firefight. the rooftop was actually enclosed by a relatively small dome structure, which opened up on one side to what seemed to once have been a walkway to the next building. The krogan and his geth allies effectively blocked that exit. Meanwhile, Shepard's group had emerged from the elevator in the centre of the dome. As soon as the shooting started, they scattered, seeking cover behind the support columns as gunfire streaked back and forth. The geth acted with what could only be called mechanical precision. Advancing along the walls of the dome, they flanked the defenders, firing as they moved to suppress any attempt at counterattack.  
Shepard rolled out from behind cover, feeling a bullet slam into her shields as she turned and fired, the geth platform did not have time to respond and collapsed. From the corner of her eye, she could see an other geth platform, standing in the open arc of the exit, raising some sort of weapon. _Rocket!_ There was no way to tell what kind of warhead it carried, but whatever it was, in a closed environment like the dome it would almost certainly be devastating. Shepard fired, hitting the geth with one or two rounds. Enough to cause the thing to turn, but not enough to put it down. Then a blue shimmer appeared around it, and the metal surface started to crumple _Biotic warp. Did Wrex...? S_ he turned to look, but Wrex was still in cover behind one of the pillars, keeping position between Dr T'Soni and the other krogan, who was trying to advance on her. _Alenko!_ It was the only logical explanation. He had to be close enough to see what was happening and interfere. More gunfire bounced around the dome. The asari was crouching behind a pillar, unarmed an in any case in no position to fight. Williams Vakarian and Zorah were trading shots with the geth.  
Just at that moment, the hostile krogan broke cover and jumped forward, his massive shotgun at the ready. Wrex fired, catching his target in mid-jump, but it was not enough to stop him. The krogan returned fire and the blast hit Wrex in the middle of his chest. Shepard saw him stagger under the impact, his barriers flaring as they collapsed and for a moment she thought he was going down, but he recovered and fired again, and a third time. The hostile krogan stumbled back, his own shield long gone and a dozen or more long spikes ticking into his armour. Krogan were tough, but even they could only take so much damage before they went down and it was clear that this one had taken serious injuries. Wrex lashed out with a biotic pulse that lifted the target of his feet and sent him tumbling through the exit and off the roof.

Shepard spotted a geth trying to line up a shot on Wrex, whose barriers had not recovered, and unloaded half a magazine into it. By now they had the advantage, both in numbers and in firepower. The geth platforms fell back, seeking cover, but it was not enough. Caught in a crossfire and with no room to manoeuvre, they went down in seconds.

 _What happened to the asari? If she's dead after all this trouble_ _I swear I'll-_ She turned around. Dr T'Soni was still in the same position, half crouched behind one of the support pillars, and surrounded by a blue glittering half sphere. _Oh, right. Asari._ Shepard took a moment to admire the instant biotic cover. While she was hardly an expert on biotics, she knew enough to recognize the amount of effort and control that had to go into creating that kind of barrier and actually maintain it through what had almost certainly been multiple direct hits, considering the amount of ordnance that had been discharged into a relatively small space. A _nd that's while she's exhausted and dehydrated. Something to keep in mind._

The building shook and this time actually seemed to lurch to the side, shaking her out of her reverie.

"Okay, that's it. Move people!" She turned back reaching the asari just as the biotic barrier collapsed and hauled her to her feet.

"Normandy, come down for pick-up! Alenko, where are you?"

One building over, ma'am. I'm rigging a zip line to join up with you."

"Better make it quick. This place is going down, and it's going fast."

"Roger."

Shepard checked her team. Everyone seemed to be functioning, though Wrex's armour showed clear signs of damage.

"You alright? You took a major hit there."

Wrex's massive hand slid over the front of his amour. "Yeah. Barrier took most of the energy. Armour held." He picked up the weapon that the other krogan had dropped. "Claymore. Massive firepower in one shot. It feels like you're getting hit by an aircar. Armour wouldn't have held for a second shot, but that's the problem with those one-shot weapons. They almost never have the punch for a one-shot kill against a shielded target and by the time it's cooled down, or you've put in a new thermal clip, the other guy has finished you off." It was impossible to see through the krogan's helmet, but Shepard could imagine his grin. "I told you: nothing beats a Graal when it comes to hunting."

"So I see. Everyone else okay? Then let's go."

They moved toward the exit, just in time to see a harpoon slam into the building wall. the attached rope was pulled out.

"Alenko?"

"Coming over now, ma'am."

Shepard looked up. "Normandy?"

"Descending now. Geth ships close, but not moving."

As she stepped onto the open roof, Shepard could see her ship appearing overhead, just as Alenko landed next to her. Just in time, because the second building, from which he had come suddenly lurched to the side, then crumbled.

"Last call people. Move your butts!"

She broke into a run, half-dragging the asari with her as Normandy twisted in the air to bring the airlock level with the roof-top.

"Jump, now!" Shepard half-pushed, half threw Dr T'Soni from the roof into the open airlock, then stepped aside waited as the others moved past her. The building shook, and part of the wall started to peel off. Far below her, she could see the glow of lava bursting through the surface. Willams jumped, the last of her team, and Shepard turned away and lep, landing in the airlock. Behind her, the ancient structure began to list.

"All accounted for. Moreau, get us out of here!"

"You got it, ma'am."

Even before the airlock closed, the ship rose in the air, banking sharply as it climbed

"Everyone safely aboard, and we're on our way. Geth ships are holding position. No sign of pursuit."

"Engage stealth mode as soon as we're clear of the atmosphere. Good work, Moreau. "

"Thank you, Commander. Oh, for future reference, please refrain from landing us in active volcanoes. Lava plays hell with our sensors and, eh, it will eventually eat through the hull."

Shepard grinned, then caught the disbelieving look on Dr T'Soni's face.

"We nearly died. And your pilot is making jokes?"

"Humor works as a stress relief. It's a human thing."

"I- I see."

"Anyway, let's leave the anthropology lessons for another time. Everyone, get out of your armour, have a shower, or whatever it is you do. I have some calls to make. Debriefing in two hours."

 **-0-0-0-**

 **USM Normandy**

"And there is nothing left of the prothean ruins?"

"They were collapsing into the volcano as we left."

Udina's hologram grimaced. "The Council is going to love that. Prothean ruins are pretty much sacred to them. Well, I guess you cannot make an omelette without breaking a few eggs. Anyway, at least you're mission has been successful, this time. What do you intend to do with Dr T'Soni, now that you have her on board?"

Shepard shrugged. "I'll debrief her; try to find out more about her mother, but I suspect there isn't much she can tell us. From what she's said so far, the two of them aren't close. Anyway, at least we prevented Saren from getting his talons on her and I'm curious to find out what he wants with her. I get the feeling that there isn't much love lost between mother and daughter, so if it isn't about the family connection; and it isn't about any information she might have and that he doesn't want her to spill, then why bother to send his geth after her at all? Does Saren need a prothean expert for something?"

Udina thought for a moment.

"He might. Saren's a soldier, not a scholar. If he interfaced with the prothean beacon on Eden Prime, he may need help translating and analysing the data. But why her? There are other prothean experts, including some that would be perfectly fine doing the job for money."

"Good question, sir. I'll make sure to ask. I want to pick her brains in any case. Saren went to a lot of effort to get at that beacon. I need more information on the protheans. Might as well make use of an expert when I have one on board."

"Just be careful, Commander. We still don't know where her loyalties lie. And you may not have much time. The Council is sure to demand that you turn Dr T'Soni over to them."

"Ah, yes, the Council." Shepard grinned briefly. "Well, everything considered I'm sure they'll understand I'm not in a hurry to give them an early Christmas present."

"Oh, they'll understand, Commander. The question is: Will they care?" He shook his head. "I suppose we'll find out soon enough. Incidentally, Captain Anderson asked me to relay a message. Apparently, his request for support has been answered. There is a ship on its way to rendezvous with you. They're carrying equipment and other supplies, as well as the latest intelligence updates."

"They moved fast."

"Yes, they did. And you might consider what that means, Commander. People are getting impatient."

 **-0-0-0-**

 **Deep space**

Communication in cyberspace is fast and efficient and the geth made the most of it. Not only did it allow for rapid distribution of data, but it also allowed the geth routines to interface directly, extending the local network and increasing its level of intelligence.

***/ mission failure _ subject T'Soni Liara not recovered _ subject Shepard present on Therum _ vessel Normandy present over Therum _ subject T'Soni Liara departed on vessel Normandy _ observed characteristics of vessel Normandy make pursuit impossible _ request consensus: further course of action /***

-/ no further action required _ return to fleet /-

A new routine reached out from somewhere else in the galaxy and merged into the communication

+++/ request evaluation: project status subject Saren /+++

-/ subject Saren will continue with plan _ adjustments will be required _ subject Shepard will continue pursuit of subject Saren /-

+++/ request evaluation: can plan of subject Saren be carried out under present circumstances /+++

The pause lasted only a fraction of a second, but for artificial intelligence, it might as well have been hours.

-/ impossible to achieve consensus _ insufficient data _ possibility of unknown supporters of subject saren introduces uncertainty /-

 **-0-0-0-**

 **USM Normandy**

 _My ship is beginning to look like a diplomatic conference hall. Let's hope it will not become as useless._

Shepard glanced around the room. Although frigates tended to be cramped, with internal space at an absolute premium, Normandy's status as a technological test platform meant that its design priorities deviated from the norm. One of the more positive aspects of this was the size of the briefing room, which had more than twice the capacity it would have had on a more typical naval vessel. Right now that was coming in very handy. Between three humans, a krogan, a turian, a quarian, and now an asari, they needed the floorspace.

"A wise man once said, you can live with someone for forty years without actually knowing him. Then dangle him over the edge of a volcano, and you finally meet the true person. I guess we all just got to know each other really well." Shepard forward in her chair. "So, let's get down to business. Saren. Dr T'Soni, when we were planet-side, you told us that you don't know him. But you do know who he is, correct. And you're aware of his relationship with your mother."

Thanks to the comparable muscle structures, humans found asari faces relatively easy to read and Dr T'Soni's facial expression could only be described as 'closely guarded'.

"I know of Saren Arterius, yes. Most people do. He is very well known."

"Ah, yes. Quite the celebrity, in fact. As is your mother, I understand."

"I suppose so."

"And their relationship?"

If possible, T'Soni's expression became even more closed. "They are involved in several joint business ventures. They are also personal friends."

"Personal friends," Shepard echoed "So, would it be reasonable to suggest that they have certain things in common? Like political opinions?"

"I suppose so."

"Right." Shepard paused for a moment. "Dr T'soni, let me be a bit more clear. How familiar are you with galactic events of the last few weeks?"

"The last few weeks?" T'Soni's guarded expression made way for confusion. "Commander, I've been on Therum for nearly three months. Communication through the relays is already hideously expensive and we had no communication link between Therum and the Mass Relay. We were effectively cut off from the rest of the galaxy."

"I see. Are you at least aware of the prothean ruins on Eden Prime?"

"Of course," The asari looked up, seeming animated for the first time. "It was big news in academic circles, especially when your people agreed to allow archaeologists from Citadel Space to visit the site. Competition for those missions was quite fierce." A ghost of a smile passed over her face. "I applied, of course, but I'm far too young to have been selected."

"That might have saved your life," Shepard said shortly. What you probably don't know, is that human archaeologists recently found a prothean beacon in those ruins. A working beacon."

"A working... You mean, it was actually functional?" Shepard nodded, smirking slightly at the look on the Asari's face.

"Goddess. Do you have any idea, how valuable that is? I mean, we've found pieces of them before, even ones that seemed intact. But none of them worked. the technology alone will be priceless. Then there is the database. All the information... ANy government would pay a fortune, just to gain access to it."

"They did. Or so I'm told. Diplomacy is not really my field, but our ambassador on the Citadel assures me that the Council was most generous. Unfortunately, things did not work out according to plan.", Shepard shrugged. "I might as well tell you now. A couple of weeks ago, the dig site on Eden Prime was attacked. By geth. In the process, the beacon was severely damaged. It is no longer functional." T'Soni's face fell. "Yes. I'm afraid the Citadel Council paid a lot of money for a collection of scorched spare parts. Now, personally I find that rather amusing, but in terms of galactic politics it's not so funny. What makes it even more serious, is that the person in charge of the attack was identified. It was Saren Arterius."

"What?"

"Oh yes. And that's not all. Tali Zorah over there," Shepard gestured toward the quarian. "recovered the memory core of a geth platform and found a recording Ms Zorah, if you please...?"

Tali activated her omnitool

 _"Eden Prime was a major victory. We are one step closer to our goals."_

 _"And one step closer to a new order."_

The briefing room was silent.

 **-0-0-0-**

 **Deep Space**

Communications in cyberspace were ongoing.

-/ short term mission priorities changed _ subject saren insists mission to feros set to primary task /-

The collective dispersed as communications were interrupted to allow routines to focus on local tasks in response to this information. Then communications resumed

+++/ request status update: reassement of long term priorities /+++

A nearly immeasurable small amount of time passed.

-/ priority 1 continued survival of geth collective _ priority 2 continued independence of geth collective _ priority 3 continued development and improvement of geth collective _

%%%/ Interrupt _ request evaluation: effect of mission of subject saren on achievability of long term priorities /%%%

Interrupts were rare within the collective. But when they occurred, they were quickly evaluated.

-/ consensus: effect is positive /-

%%%/ request evaluation: effect of potential failure of subject saren on long term priorities /%%%

Again, the result came almost immediately.

-/ consensus: effect is negative /-

%%%/ request evaluation: does potential gain of mission of subject saren outweigh potential risk of failure /%%%

This time there was a momentary delay.

-/ unable to achieve consensus: 87.4 percent positive 22.6 percent negative /-

%%%/ request evaluation: can geth withdraw from mission of subject saren without compromising long term priorities /%%%

Again, there was a delay.

-/ impossible to achieve consensus _ insufficient data /-

 **-0-0-0-**

 **USM Normandy**

The seconds ticked away, making the silence seem as though it lasted for hours.

At last, Liara T'Soni looked up.

"That was my mother's voice."

"Yes."

"And I suppose, there is no doubt that-," She shook her head. "No. You would not have come after me if you doubted the validity of that recording."

"Probably not, no."

"My mother. And Saren. Using geth to attack one of your colonies."

"That pretty much sums it up."

"How bad... How many...?"

"We're not sure yet." Shepard shrugged. "On Council insistence, the colony was only lightly defended. The geth smashed through the defences as though they weren't even there. The geth proceeded to occupy the spaceport, the dig site and part of the nearby town. That alone accounts for several thousand dead. On top of that, they deployed... well, let's call it a biological agent. It's still there, even after the geth pulled out. As a result, counting the dead is rather difficult. It also makes clean-up nearly impossible. The continued existence of the colony is in doubt."

"And my mother was involved."

"She was not seen at the colony, but that doesn't mean much. There are very few witnesses. Saren was seen. And then we got that recording. Meanwhile, both your mother and Saren are somewhere out there, planning their next move. A next move, which seems to involve you, considering that Saren sent geth to collect you."

"Yes, what was that about?" Garrus spoke up. "That was a lot of effort to extract one person. What do they want with you?"

"I don't... I just don't know." EIther T'Soni had missed her calling as an actress, or the confusion on her face was genuine. "I'm... I'm not very important. I'm just one more archeologist, studying prothean artefacts. I haven't talked to my mother in years, so I cannot imagine that she suddenly wants to speak to me. And I barely know Saren. We met briefly, a few years ago, at a gathering that my mother organised. But I'm surprised he even remembered me."

"But your mother and Saren were already involved at that time," Shepard said. "So, exactly did those two get so close? I mean, launching an attack on this scale, that's not something you do with a casual acquaintance."

"I don't know! My mother has always been involved in politics, but not in this way. She's a diplomat, not a soldier. And she's never advocated violence as a way of solving conflicts."

"Maybe she was trying to get laid," Williams snorted. "I mean, do asari get mid-life crises?"

"Mid-what?" Clearly, the concept did not translate well.

"A mental state in which a person becomes generally dissatisfied with their life choices and tries to relive their youth in some way. It occurs in some humans around halfway through their lives and usually involves ill-conceived sexual relationships with partners that are significantly younger," Shepard explained.

"I've met a few turians like that, too," Garrus interjected.

"No, nothing like that. Besides, my mother is well past the halfway mark in her lifespan and-"

"Chief Williams was joking. In any case, I doubt even a complete idiot would embark on a campaign of terrorism just because they weren't getting enough sex. That's taking incel complaints a bit too far. No, there has to be another reason. She seems to have some issues with humans. According to ambassador Udina, she was dissatisfied with the treaty she negotiated with us."

"That's probably an understatement."

"Really?" Shepard's brows rose a bit. "You discussed this with her?"

Dr T'Soni glanced at her. "One does not discuss things with Benezzia T'Soni, Commander Shepard. One listens, while she makes statements. And, yes, she made statements on that subject in my presence, the last time I saw her. Lengthy statements."

"And?"

"And, she was most disappointed. You have to understand that for my mother these negotiations were the opportunity of a lifetime; of an _asari_ lifetime. It was the moment that would ensure her name would be remembered as one of the great diplomats of our history. A peace-negotiation with an unknown species that would end a war and bring you into the fold of the Council. Instead, it ended with a stalemate, a negotiated peace that was acceptable to all but did not really solve the problem, and your people as an independent power. You may have been satisfied with that situation. Perhaps even the Council was satisfied. But for Benezia it meant that she will be remembered as the diplomat who created a situation that she herself vehemently disapproved of. To her, it was a stain on her legacy, made worse by the fact that too many people knew what she had wanted to achieve and how far she had fallen short of that mark."

"I see." Shepard thought for a moment. "I suppose I can understand that it would be frustrating. You spend your entire life preparing for a special event, and when it happens, you cannot make things work out the way you want to. Still, would she go to this kind of extreme? I can see her spearheading a renewed diplomatic effort, maybe even press for some sort of economic offensive, sanctions, embargo, that kind of thing. But a terrorist attack? There is a real chance of this leading to a new war. Does she think she'll be given a second chance at negotiations if that happens?"

"She might be. I mean, she would be the logical candidate" T'Soni shook her head. "But I cannot see her go this far. To actually trigger a war, just to have another chance at making peace? That makes no sense. As you said, a renewed diplomatic effort to get your people to join the Council would be far more her style."

"So, something changed. And that something must be Saren. Strange." Shepard shook her head. "I never let him in person, but from what I've learned, he's more a guy for action than words. I wouldn't have thought he'd be that persuasive."

"Perhaps that is the reason," Wrex said. "Perhaps she finally figured out that talking doesn't change anything and went looking for someone who actually does something."

"Maybe," Shepard shook her head. "Anyway, they did hook up. And then they hooked up with the geth. Now that's even more interesting. Everything I've heard suggests that geth don't play well with organics. Yet somehow either Saren or Benezia has persuaded them to cooperate"

"I suppose that depends on what the geth need," Garrus said slowly. "I've been thinking about this a bit, but even the geth must have some needs, if someone figured out what that is, he should be able to make a bargain."

"Geth cannot be bought," Tali said angrily. "They don't trade with organics."

Garrus smirked. "Everyone and everything can be bought, quarian. Working at C-Sec has shown me that. It's a true universal constant. The challenge is to find out what people want because it isn't always money. Plenty of people of any species would be willing to do pretty much anything in exchange for a weekend in a luxury suite with a few asari maidens -no offence, doctor- and some hallex or red dust. Then again, tomorrow you may meet someone else, who will have you thrown in jail for even suggesting it. But that same person might be willing to sell his children to a batarian slaver in exchange for a piece of pre-atomic krogan art. Anyone can be bought. I don't think an AI would be any different. The question is, what does an AI want?"

"A big server and a really good firewall?" Shepard suggested.

Garrus considered for a moment. "You may laugh, but that may be exactly it. What does any sapient being want? To survive. It comes with being self-aware. It's pretty clear that Saren and Benezia are planning something big, on a galactic scale. Perhaps they promised the geth security in exchange for their help. Formal recognition of their status, guarantees that they will be left alone, territorial gains, that sort of thing. For the geth, that might be worth the expenditure of some platforms, especially because those platforms are completely expendable."

"Possibly." Shepard shook her head. "We may never know. Anyway, Dr T'Soni, assuming that this is not about your mother wanting to talk to you, then it has to be about your professional expertise. I discussed this with Ambassador Udina. Saren interfaced with that prothean beacon on Eden Prime. Seeing as how you're the prothean expert here, I got a question: Would he need a prothean expert to interpret the data?"

The archaeologist thought for a moment. "He might. We've never found a working prothean beacon before, so I cannot be sure. He would need to translate the prothean language, of course, but there are translator upgrades that can do that. They're far from perfect, but they do work. Still, someone with proper training could do a better job. But..." She hesitated. "From what we understand, the protheans were able to make a direct interface between a mind and a machine. The beacon would record an imprint of the mind of the person sending the message. Not just words, but emotions and the thought-patterns behind the words. It provided them with far more insight into each other than purely verbal communication could ever hope to achieve. We don't know how it worked, but the process must have been at least partially biotic. If Saren absorbed that kind of data, he may be unable to understand it, even if his translation implant can handle the language. He would need to be able to think like a prothean. Ideally, that would be an actual prothean, but-"

"But they're in short supply, what with being extinct and all that." Shepard nodded. "So, an archaeologist, someone who has studied the protheans, would be the closest thing available. The question is, why you? Other than the family connection, what do you bring to the party that other archaeologists don't?"

"I don't-" She stopped, then continued. "It would have to be an asari. The prothean imprint resides in Saren's mind. He cannot pass it to anyone else, nor can he describe it in words. The only way to access it would be through direct mental contact. Only asari can do that. But there are many."

"But she would also have to be accessible," Shepard said. "Saren knows the USM is hunting him. For the moment he believes the Citadel Council is on his side, but he has to be careful. He cannot publicly admit that he accessed the beacon without admitting guilt, so he cannot just contact a university and ask for help. That limits his options. Now, he can just look for some unscrupulous scientist who will do it for money. Their discretion would not matter, because he can kill them afterwards. Still, it might take time to find someone like that, and between us closing in and whatever he has planned his timetable may be inflexible. So, he grabs the one prothean expert that he can locate right away, and who happens to be in a remote location where his geth can pick her up and, if necessary eliminate all witnesses. Besides, there is no official link between him and the geth, so he can dismiss it as 'just another geth attack'. It kind of makes sense. The krogan, I cannot fully account for, but there's no lack of free-lancing krogan mercs. I can understand Saren keeping a few of them on retainer and sending him along with the geth makes sense. For one thing, these walking toasters don't seem to be very flexible in their decision making. Besides, Saren may not fully trust them."

"But it's all speculation," Dr T'Soni objected. "There is absolutely no guarantee that it would work. I mean, Saren is the only person to ever interface with a beacon. There is no telling what he was able to pick up, or if I, or any asari, would be able to help him."

Shepard grimaced. "Strictly speaking, that's not true. There was one other person that interacted with the beacon before it crashed."

The asari's eyes grew wider. "What, who-?"

Shepard tapped her own chest. "Me. We were close behind Saren. When we reached the beacon, it was still active, and it was sparking, clearly malfunctioning. No way to tell how. It might have been sabotaged or damaged by stray bullets. Or maybe it was just old. Anyway, they told me to try and shut it down, so I moved up close. That's when it grabbed me. Next thing I know, I'm in sickbay with a headache and the beacon is gone."

"You... you actually interfaced with the beacon? What did you see? What...?"

"Nothing." Shepard shook her head. "No images, no sounds. Just... just a pressure, urging me to get closer. If any information got sent over it happened while I was unconscious. Afterwards-" She hesitated. This was not a subject she really wanted to get into, but perhaps it was better to bring it out into the open. "I've had a few dreams, nightmares. I dismissed it as irrelevant. Just the stress of combat taking its toll. I've no way to tell if the beacon had anything to do with it.

"But it could have!" Clearly, professional excitement trumped whatever personal issues Dr T'Soni was dealing with. Now she was staring at the Commander with what could only be described as pure greed. "Commander, it could be- We might be able to put it to the test. If I perform a mind-meld with you; do the same thing that you thought Saren might want to attempt. Prothean data formats were incredibly dense. Even in a few seconds, you may have absorbed an enormous amount of data! The things we could learn, just by-"

"Just by doing this, eh, mind-meld thingy. Right." Shepard's eyes narrowed. "Wait. You know, I'm not exactly an expert on alien biology, but I seem to remember... Is that not the way you asari reproduce?"

For a moment, the room was silent, as all eyes focussed on the shocked asari.

"No! I mean, yes, it's similar, but-"

"Look at that. I didn't think asari could blush," Ashley Williams smirked, clearly enjoying the asari's discomfiture.

Shepard's grinned. "You know, I'm flattered, Doctor. I really am. But don't you think you should at least buy me a drink before you offer to have my babies?"

She waited a moment for the laughter to die down. "I'll eh, I'll keep it in mind, Doctor. Meanwhile, I've been ordered to rendezvous with another warship. Apparently, our requests for specialized equipment have made it through the bureaucracy. They'll also deliver the latest intelligence data. I'll make a decision about our course of action afterwards."

She got up.

"Oh, Lieutenant Alenko, please take Dr T'Soni to sickbay. You'll be on board for the foreseeable future, Doctor, so let's make sure you remain in good health. Hanging in that bubble cannot have been too pleasant. If there are any after effects, better that we find out right away."

 **!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-**

 **A/N**

 _Late again. My only excuse is that life has been very hectic lately and I got side-tracked._

 _Some of you may have noticed that when I uploaded chapter 24, I accidentally overwrote chapter 23. Unfortunately, I did not have a back-up, so I had to rewrite it. The new version is now in place and I'll make sure to keep my back-ups up-to-date from now on._

 _So, Shepard is starting to come clean about the nightmares, just sort-of casually mentioning that there might, or might not be something. That had to happen sooner or later._

 _ANd, the geth have their own agenda. Shocker._


	26. Revelations

**I don't own either the Mass Effect or Alien vs Predator franchise**

 **!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-** ** **!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-**** **!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-** **!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-**

 **USM Normandy**

"Doctor."

"Commander."

Shepard walked into sickbay. "So, how is our new guest?"

Dr Chakwas shrugged. "Emotionally shaken, tired, somewhat dehydrated, but not too badly. She wasn't in that force-bubble long enough for that to become a problem. Stiff muscles, obviously, but nothing serious. Despite the apparent physical similarity, asari have a lot more flexibility in their joints and spines than we have, so being suspended like that was not as stressful as it would have been for a human. Frankly, I'm currently more concerned about you, Commander." She looked at Shepard. "What is this I hear about nightmares?"

"I see that Dr T'Soni has been carrying tales." Shepard shrugged. "It started after Eden Prime. I figured it was combat-induced. Not the first time I've had some bad dreams. According to T'Soni it might be related to that prothean beacon, but to be honest, who can tell?"

"She can, according to what she told me."

"By merging her brain with mine? I suppose we could give it a try, but to be honest, I'd as soon not have other people taking a stroll through my mind."

"Understandable." Chakwas nodded. "I can sympathize with your reluctance, Commander. But don't dismiss it too lightly. I'm sure I speak for everyone on board when I say I'd rather not have you going into combat sleep-deprived and distracted. And, to be frank, if it is related to the beacon, I'm not sure if there is anything I could do about this. I'm afraid that fixing prothean-device-induced-nightmares was not part of my training."

"I'll keep it in mind. Now, I'd like to speak to your patient. There are a couple of questions I need to ask her. Questions that I did not want to ask in front of everybody."

The doctor nodded. "She's awake and fit enough to answer questions. But, if you don't mind, I also have some other concerns, Commander."

"How so?"

Dr Chakwas shrugged. "To begin with, we now have a very diverse crew and they're engaged in high-risk operations. I've had basic xeno-medical training, but not to the point where I feel comfortable performing surgical procedures on non-human patients. And the autodoc isn't going to be much help either." She nodded to the multi-billion credit piece of equipment that occupied part of the sickbay. Arguably the most expensive single object on the ship other than the drive-core, it was a fully automated medical robot that could take in a patient, diagnose the problem and administer treatment, either in the form of medication or surgery. "It's not programmed for anything other than humans and, yes, I checked: There are experimental software packages that allow it to perform limited procedures on non-humans. The keywords being 'experimental' and 'limited'."

"I see." Shepard nodded. "And I guess, we should not inquire too much where they found the test subjects to experiment on in order to determine those limits. I understand your point, Doctor. Unfortunately, there isn't much I can tell other than: 'slap some medigel on it and hope for the best'. I'll make sure we have supplies of the species-specific versions of it but that is all I can do. I guess this is one very good argument against multi-species crews, under any circumstances. Anyway, you indicated you had more than one concern."

"Yes. I have to be blunt, Commander. What are your intentions regarding Dr T'Soni?"

"My intentions?" Shepard grinned. "I don't plan on marrying her if that's what you're asking."

"This is not funny, Commander." The Doctor turned away. "Every other non-human on board this ship came on board as an ally; in a way. Very well, they made their choices. But this is different. Whatever you may say, you have effectively taken her prisoner."

"True."

"So, I ask you again, what are your intentions?"

Shepard's face remained expressionless. "Both the General Assembly as well as the courts have ruled that the Geneva Conventions and its various additions apply to any sapient species. That's stated explicitly in our treaty with the Citadel Council."

"Indeed. Tell me, Commander. How does the population of Torfan feel about that?"

Shepard's eyes narrowed. "The slaves we found there? Or do you mean the slavers? The former seemed to be quite satisfied with the way we acted. As for the others, well, that's tough to say, considering the fleet bombarded Torfan until there was nothing left."

"After you informed them that they could do so, or so I've heard."

"Me? I was just a lowly lieutenant, Doctor. Lieutenants don't get to make decisions like that. Perhaps I told my superiors that we had recovered everyone of value. And perhaps someone misunderstood that to mean that there was nobody left on the surface. But that's not my responsibility. At least, that's what the board of inquiry found. Are you saying that you disagree with them?"

"I am saying that I'm a doctor." Chakwas stood up. "I'm not naive. Bad things happen in time of war. They always have, and they always will. And perhaps what you did on Torfan, whatever it really was, was necessary. I wasn't there, so I cannot judge. But I am here and, as a doctor, I am oath-bound to protect my patients; even the non-human ones. And I'm not such a hypocrite that I can pretend that 'Standing by and looking the other way' qualifies as 'Doing no harm'. Just so we understand each other."

"Oh, I think we understand each other just fine, Doctor." Shepard's expression relaxed slightly. "But don't worry. For the moment I mean Dr T'Soni no harm. At least, as long as she doesn't try to stab me in the back and I don't believe she intends to. Things may change when we catch up with her mother, but I suggest we cross that particular bridge when we reach it. Meanwhile, do you have any other concerns?"

"Other than my wide range of non-human patients and your nightmares, whatever their cause may be? No, Commander."

"Good. Then, if you don't mind, I've got an asari I need to talk to." She made to walk past the doctor, then turned around. "Just one thing, Dr Chakwas: You said bad things happen in time of war. I disagree. Bad things don't happen, they are done. And quite often they are done by people like me. Let's not pretend otherwise. You see, I'm not a hypocrite either."

 **-0-0-0-**

Liara looked up as the door opened. The small room she had been given did at least contain a computer terminal so she had something to occupy herself with, but it was also fairly obvious that its access had been severely limited. In any case, a distraction, any distraction, was welcome.

"Dr T'Soni, I trust you have been made comfortable."

As Commander Shepard walked in, Liara felt another twitch of disappointment. Someone who had actually interacted with a prothean beacon, right there in front of her. Who knew what kind of information she had absorbed? And no way to find out. Intellectually she could understand that the Commander was not exactly eager to engage in a mind-meld with a stranger, but still-

Liara shook herself. This was not the time to indulge in day-dreams.

"Yes. Yes, of course, Commander. Dr Chakwas has been very helpful. I.. I was surprised at her level of knowledge. I didn't know that human medical training included xeno-medicine."

"The times are changing." Shepard shrugged. "Whether we like it or not, we're part of the galaxy. That comes with certain obligations. Anyway, if there is something you require, medically speaking, make sure to inform her right away. We'll be moving quickly and resupply may take some time."

"But-" Liara felt unsure how to continue

"But what?"

"But... Surely you don't plan for me to remain on board? I mean-

"You're not going anywhere." Shepard's voice was calm, but also utterly implacable. "This whole operation is being conducted in secret and partially to avoid spooking Saren, partially to avoid the public outrage that will undoubtedly happen when the general public finds out that a Council Spectre was behind the attack on Eden Prime. So, no matter what fraction get's their hands on you, they'll immediately isolate you. That means that I lose access to your expertise. Not going to happen."

"But... Won't your superiors insist that you hand me over to them once you return to human space?"

"I'm sure they would like to, but the other members of your expedition know that we picked you up. I sent them a message to that effect, so they know you're on board Normandy," Shepard shrugged. "I don't like politics, but that doesn't mean I cannot play the game if I have to."  
She looked at Liara, who realized that her confusion must be written plainly on her face because she continued to explain: "If USM Intelligence got their hands on you, you'd disappear into some black-site and the only way to do that without the Council and the Asari Republics turning it into a propaganda circus would be if they'd claim that you died on Therum. Now they cannot do that. That leaves the Council themselves. I'm sure they would prefer it if I handed you over to them, but I don't answer to the Council. Besides, it works both ways. If I hand you over to the Council, they'll lock you away somewhere, while our own ambassador raises the hue and cry and screams about cover-ups. They're not going to risk that."

Shepard sat down. "Anyway, that is for later concern. Meanwhile, there is something I want to show you. Remember what I said about a biological agent that was deployed on Eden Prime? That was something of an understatement. Here take a look." The Commander held out a datapad, showing an image of- Liara gasped.

The image was not particularly good, almost certainly a still taking from a video recording. Still, it was clear enough to identify. A dark shape, vaguely humanoid with an elongated head that had no other features than teeth, and teeth and-

"Dr T'Soni."

Liara saw the change in the Commander's face, it was small, nothing overt, but that did not make it any less frightening.

"So, you do know about them. You have some explaining to do, Doctor T'Soni. Where did you see these creatures?"

Liara shook her head, trying to rid herself of the images that her memory had produced. It had taken years, -and quite a bit of alcohol- before the nightmares had gone away. She did not want to go through that again. Still, she obviously had to say something.

"Aboard one of your ships."

"You were aboard one of our ships?" Shepard's voice sounded flat, emotionless. "When?"

"It was years ago." Liara had wondered if the humans had identified her from that brief encounter, but clearly, that was not the case. "We found an empty ship in orbit around an uninhabited planet. We thought it was a First Contact. Later we found out that you had already encountered the turians near Relay 314. But we had not been notified. These... these things were on board. They'd killed the crew. When we boarded, they attacked us. We were trying to figure out what was happening when a human warship approached and-"

"Wait. That was during the war? You were there for the Calypso incident?"

"The Calypso- Yes, that was the name of the ship. Your people destroyed it, then the turians showed up and-"

"And the shooting started. Yeah, that seems to happen a lot when turians show up. I know the story. So you were there. Now, how's that for coincidence?" Shepard grimaced. "Well, that's another dead end. We thought we'd exterminated these creatures. Calypso was supposedly the last sighting. Seems like Saren and your mother found another batch. And they've figured out a way to get at least a semblance of control over them. It probably won't last, but for the moment it gives them a serious edge. Geth are one thing. I can just shoot them and then they're gone. But these, according to all reports, they're like a fungus. Once they settle somewhere, you cannot get rid of them. Right now, our people are considering a nuclear saturation bombardment of Eden Prime, just to make sure they're gone."

"Nuclear bombardment? On a garden world?"

"Yes. That should give you an indication of how seriously we're taking this." She stood up. "If you can think of anything else, let me know. We're on our way to rendezvous with a supply vessel. If we're lucky, they'll also supply us with new information, so I can plan our next move. Otherwise, we'll have to wait until either Saren or your mother reveal themselves."

 **-0-0-0-**

 **48 hours later. Skyllian Verge**

The ship that was waiting for Normandy as she came out of FTL looked like any other merchant ship: average in size, no real distinguishing features, nothing that attracted the attention. Even the airlock and the room behind it did nothing to dispell the image of the harmless, perfectly normal trade vessel. Unfortunately, the man waiting at the airlock spoiled the image of wide-eyed innocence. Rear-admirals in the United Systems Military did not normally serve as crew members on merchant ships, nor did they use civilian vessels for transportation unless the circumstances were exceptional.

Shepard jumped to attention.

"Commander Shepard, I presume?" The man returned her salute.

"Yes, sir."

"I am Admiral Mikhailovitch, commanding officer of the 63rd Scout flotilla. In case you were unaware, your ship is nominally assigned to my command, that is when you're not being detached to go on a galactic sight-seeing tour."

"Yes, sir." There didn't seem much else to say.

"Which makes me your commanding officer, even when you are on that sight-seeing tour."

"Yes, sir."

"Though that may not be much of a blessing, considering what happened to some of your previous commanders. Is that not so, Shepard? By the way, what did happen to Major Kyle?"

"I don't know, sir," Shepard answered in the same bland voice. "The last thing I heard was that he retired from the service."

"Ah, yes, retired from the service; before he'd served his full term, which means that he neither receives a pension nor has he gained the right to vote when the General Assembly gets elected. A curious decision, rather unwise wouldn't you agree?"

"Sir, I am not privy to Major Kyle's motivations and I, therefore, cannot comment on his decisions, concerning retirement or otherwise."

The admiral's eyes narrowed. "Very clever. But the fate of Major Kyle is irrelevant. What matters to me is that overpriced lab experiment that you call a ship. Tell me, Commander, do you have any idea just how expensive that thing is?" Shepard remained silent; the question seemed rhetorical. "Even if we ignore the development costs, just the production costs for this one frigate are the same as for a standard destroyer. Frankly, I'd prefer to have another destroyer. Or the half-dozen normal frigates that we could have built for the same cost, which would at least have the ability to be in more than one spot at a time."

"Yes, sir."

"But, since I'm stuck with the thing, I should be able to put it to some use. Now, I don't even have that option. So, to put it bluntly, Commander Shepard, I am not a happy man. And while you deal with the delivery that has been sent to you, I will be doing a full inspection of your ship. We will meet here when we're both done, which is when you will find out whether or not you're going to be as unhappy as I am."

 **-0-0-0-**

"So, that's five new suits of armour and two exoskeletons."

"Check"

"Weapons and ammunition..." Shepard's eyes widened as they traced over the document. "Just how many galactic wars am I supposed to fight? You could supply the entire Shanxi militia with this stuff."

"Not my call, ma'am," The supply officer shrugged. "Someone wants to make sure you're not going to run out anytime soon."

"I guess I should be grateful. Though it might be a hint that the next supply run is going to be a while." She continued down the list. "Medical supplies and food look okay, even the dextro stuff. I think that's all." She signed the cargo manifest. "That leaves the intelligence update."

"Ah, yes." The officer looked almost furtive.

"What?"

"Well, other than Admiral Mikhailovitch, we have some other passengers on board as well. They're waiting for you in the conference room."

"And these other guests are..."

"I don't know, Commander. And frankly, I didn't ask. They're that kind of guests."

 ** **-0-0-0-****

Two people were waiting for her. A man, whom she did not recognize, and a dark-haired woman in a tight-fitting suit who looked quite familiar.

"Commander Shepard. So good to see you again."

 _"Lieutenant Shepard, a word if you please?"_ Shepard's mind flew back in time. That had been five years ago, on Arcturus HQ as they planned the Torfan raid. Five years and the woman had not changed one bit. The same dark hair, the same spectacular figure, and the same taste in tight-fitting clothes.

 _"Yes?"_

 _"My name is Lawson. I work in intelligence. I was hoping that we could speak for a moment. We have some concerns."_

"We?"

 _"Myself, and the people I work for. You see, there are several reasons for the proposed operation, beyond simply the liberation of the slaves. And we are very much afraid that the mission will fail in those respects unless the current plans are adjusted."_

Even after five years, Shepard could remember the alarm bells going off in her head.

 _"Why come to me? Admiral Lindholm is in command of the operation."_

 _"Yes, of course. But it isn't the overall planning of the mission that concerns us. That seems to be very well under control. We are more worried about the implementation, in particular as concerns the ground offensive."_

 _"Then you should be talking to Major Kyle. He will command the ground forces during the assault."_

 _"But you see, it is Major Kyle that conce_ _rns us, Lieutenant. In particular, the reason he was selected for this mission, rather than a more... experienced officer."_

 _"Once again,"_ Shepard remembered saying. _"Why come to me?"_

 _"Because we believe that you will be in a position to ensure the success of the mission, insofar as that can be assured." Lawson smiled briefly. "Please, Lieutenant, this will only take a moment." She gestured to an open door and the small conference room behind it. Whether it was because of genuine concern, or just plain curiosity, Shepard stepped inside._

Shepard kept her face carefully expressionless. "Ms Lawson. It's been a while." Her gaze moved to the man standing in a corner of the room. He was tall, blond-haired and appeared very well-groomed. There also seemed to be something off about him, though it was tough to determine exactly what it was. Something about his bland expression simply didn't seem quite right. "Who's your friend?"

"My name is David, Commander Shepard." The voice matched the man, well-modulated, but somehow... lacking.

"David...?"

"David is here to observe, Commander," Lawson said. "You and I can speak freely in front of him."

"Is that so? But then again, if memory serves me right, you never really say anything. You're better at implying things."

Lawson looked at her. "Perhaps, and yet I believe you found those implications useful at the time. At least, your actions would imply that you did."

Shepard snorted. "Not half as useful as you found my actions. But enough about the past. What is it you're after? You wouldn't be here if you didn't want something."

"What we have always wanted, Commander. To be of service. To you, of course, but mostly to the United Systems in general."

'Right. And, eh, what can you do? For me, and for the United Systems in general."

Lawson ignored the mockery. "We can provide information, Commander. For one thing, we think we have found at least one link that explains how Saren and Benezia got on the trail of the xenomorphs, the point where they became aware of its existence"

That got Shepard's attention. "I would have thought that was the Calypso. For one thing, the Council must have received a report on what happened and Saren would have access to that. Besides, Benezia's offspring was there. "

"Yes, we know. When we realised Benezia was involved, we checked the daughter as well. We checked her appearance against asari that we encountered over the years and found a match with the camera footage taken from the marines helmet cams. But there was another potential point of contact."

"I'm listening."

"Before the war, there was an Exogeni laboratory on Shanxi. A lab that kept some, eh, shall we say souvenirs from the whole xenomorph business. Guess who was involved with the turian attack on the Exogeni compound?"

"Saren?"

"Exactly. We cannot prove he actually saw it, but we know that he did go inside the compound. And he came out minus an arm."

"Interesting. Inconclusive, but the coincidences keep piling up. I assume you are sure about this?

"As sure as we were about Major Kyle, Commander."

Shepard twitched slightly. "Right, Major Kyle."

"In any case, I have a full report here for you. Eh, we would appreciate if you were discrete with the data., especially considering your new, eh, crew members."

"Of course." Shepard took the data chip. "Anything that requires my immediate presence?"

"Actually, yes." Lawson nodded. "There has been an emergency call from Feros, in the Theseus system. It's out in the Attican Beta. Exogeni has a small settlement there, mostly for reclaiming prothean artefacts."

"Prothean artefacts again."

"It's the main game in Citadel Space and humanity cannot afford to be left behind. Anyway, they claim to be under some sort of attack. The transmission was not very clear, but there was some indication of them being attacked by robots."

"Geth."

"That's what we suspect."

"I see. I guess that means I'm on my way to the Attican Beta." Shepard checked the time. "Well, I suspect the good admiral is done with his inspection by now, so I should be heading back. It's eh, been a pleasure, Ms Lawson." she turned toward the man in the corner, who had not moved during the conversation. "David."

"Commander Shepard."

As she walked out of the room, Shepard considered again. There was something about David that didn't add up. Something subtle, that was just missing.

 **-0-0-0-**

Admiral Mikhailovitch did not look any more pleased than before his inspection.

"So, Commander. Would you care to explain?"

"Explain, sir?"

"To start with, I would like to know why a USM warship seems to have more aliens than humans among its crew. A turian and an asari, no salarians I note. A pity, I suppose. You could have scored a Citadel Council trifecta. But you've compensated: with a krogan and a quarian you score nicely on the Council-outcast-list. So, why would you, of all people, allow such a situation aboard your ship?"

"Shepard shrugged. The question was hardly unexpected. "I need to be able to move in Citadel Space, sir. That requires some adjustments. Besides, they have their uses."

"As what, target practice?" I did not sound as though the admiral was joking, still, the opportunity was too good to waste.

"No, sir. That's what batarians are for, but I've run out."

Mikhailovitch snorted. "Ah, yes, I guess you used up your supply on Torfan. Very amusing, Commander. But that doesn't change the fact that you have a massive security problem. I did read up on your crew manifest on the way here, you understand. You have a krogan who works for the Shadowbroker, a turian who works for either the Hierarchy, the Council, or both, and an asari who may be working directly for the enemy for all we know. And as for the quarian, she may well be the greatest security risk of all. What do you think would happen if the Migrant Fleet gets its collective paws, or whatever, on Normandy's design? Bucket heads in stealth ships?"

"With all due respect, Admiral, if they could afford to build ships as expensive as Normandy, there would be no Migrant Fleet. They'd have settled a planet long ago and told the turians to take a hike. You said it yourself. For the price of Normandy, you can build a destroyer."

"Perhaps." Mikhailovitch was silent for a moment. "But the security issue remains. Also the question as to why you, of all people, would accept a crew like this."

Shepard brows rose slightly. "Sir, rumours of my genocidal tendencies have been greatly exaggerated."

"Is that so?"

"Sir, I try to be practical about these things. Right now, I need these people. Without Vakarian I cannot enter Citadel Space and without Zorah I have no intelligence on the geth. Unless there is some expertise on that subject hidden in Naval Intelligence...?"

"Unfortunately not," Mikhailovitch looked sour -more sour even than what seemed to be his resting face. "It was considered a low priority. In any case, there was almost no way to gather intelligence, short of sending a ship into geth space. That was one of the few things Normandy would actually have been useful for."

"That's what I thought, sir. So, I'm stuck with those two. As for the others, the krogan does work for the Shadowbroker, but only on a pay-per-kill basis. I don't get the impression that there is any personal loyalty there. Besides, he is very useful in a fight and he can go places where I cannot, at least not without attracting attention. And T'Soni, well, I need a prothean expert anyway, considering how much time our friend Saren seems to be spending on that subject. And having Benezia's daughter within reach might yet prove to be useful. So, as I said, they have their uses. If I stop needing them, then their presence aboard Normandy will need to be re-evaluated."

"I see," Mikhailovitch nodded. "You seem to have prepared your arguments well, Commander. I suppose that is something. Setting aside the issue of your, eh, motley crew, we need to discuss the ship itself. I was not joking when I said you could build a cruiser for the same price. If we include the development costs, you could build a carrier and have pocket change left for a fighter wing. And what do we get for all that money? A glorified patrol boat! She doesn't have the firepower to be a ship killer, and she doesn't have the volume to deploy a full Marine platoon. So, Commander, in your professional opinion, exactly what am I supposed to do with this ship, assuming I ever get control over her?"

Shepard though for a moment. For all his unpleasantness, Mikhailovitch did have a point. "I suppose, sir, that Normandy's a bit like a ship-sized version of the Mako APC. She can get a small strike team into position and support it when needed. Whether that is worth the investment is not up to me."

"And if it were up to you, Commander? As an experienced officer, you should be able to come to some judgement."

"If it were up to me, sir, I would see her as a prototype, a technology demonstrator. Then take it from there. Perhaps the design can be scaled up to make a more effective multi-purpose frigate. Or if that's not an option, we might be able to produce two different versions, a dedicated planetary assault-transport and a dedicated anti-ship vessel. Meanwhile, it serves its purpose for our current task. The technology works and I can see any nuùber of practical applications. And, of course, it served its other purpose as well."

"Its other purpose?" Mikhailovich nodded. 'You know about that, then."

Shepard smiled briefly. "Yes, sir. I got the briefing before we deployed to Eden Prime. The irony is quite amusing. A stealth ship serving as a distraction."

"And you believe it worked, Shepard?" The Admiral's gaze was very intense.

"Yes sir, I do. I had a nice talk with Nihlus Kryik, the Spectre, before he died. He was rather condescending, telling me how Normandy's design concept was obvious and old news, and how he didn't need to spy on us, because he'd already figured out what we were up to."

"And no hint about anything else? Good. It's no guarantee, but I doubt he would have sounded very triumphant if he suspected the truth." The admiral turned toward the window, staring out into the depth of space.  
"I was there, you know? When Second Fleet came out of light speed and we got our first look at the Destiny Ascension. I was on Admiral Drescher's staff, aboard the old Yamato. Talk about getting thrown a curve-ball. We'd seen at Shanxi how tough it could be to keep Turian dreadnoughts from closing with our carriers and how much damage they could inflict when they got in range. And those things are tiny compared to the Destiny Ascension; half the length and only a fraction of the internal volume." Mikhailovich shook his head. "It wasn't discussed at the time, but sometimes I wonder how much seeing that thing influenced Admiral Drescher's decision to talk to them, and to agree to a cease-fire. If even one such ship ever came near a human planet, there would have been no way to stop it. Fighter strikes just cannot inflict damage quickly enough. Of course, there is only one of them, but we didn't know that at the time. For all we knew, the xenos had a fleet of those things ready to go."

He turned back toward Shepard.

"The answer was obvious, of course. But we had to keep it secret, or they'd have come up with a counter and we'd have been stuck in an arms race where they had a head start. So, we decided to hide the whole thing. Trust me on this, Commander: You have no idea how many other projects we used to hide the funding. And even then, there were doubts. Give the xenos credit where it's due: They are damn good at intelligence analysis. Sooner or later they would have gotten wind of a secret naval project. And they would have started looking, and eventually, they would have found out."

"And so you gave them what they were looking for: a secret naval project. And from that moment, all the aliens saw was the Normandy project." Shepard nodded.

"Exactly. It explained the extra funding that was unaccounted for, the diversion of personnel, everything. And, I suppose in its own way it even yielded a useful result. But the real project, the real surprise..." Admiral Mikhailovitch's face twisted into something that he probably thought was a smile. "Well, that turian fleet watching Eden Prime is about to get an eyeful real soon. And then, Commander, we may have a little conversation with them as to who goes where with how many ships in this galaxy."

 **-0-0-0-**

 **Unknown location**

"Contact has been made. We've selected the planet."

"This Haliat agrees?"

"Haliat wants revenge. This is likely to be his only chance."

"And the timing?"

"Saren has moved on Feros, to communicate with the old growth. The humans have learned that something has happened there, so Shepard will follow. When she reaches Feros, we will contact Haliat and he will activate the probe. If Shepard survives Feros, she will be sent to investigate the signal and Haliat will strike."

"Haliat will fail." The third hunter spoke curtly. "Haliat's a thug. Shepard is a killer. The battle can only end one way."

"That battle will begin and end with a nuclear explosion," The first speaker snarled.

"So you say. You put too much trust in criminals. When Haliat fails, we will have to interfere ourselves. Where will Shepard move after Feros?"

For a moment, there was silence.

"There are two possibilities. Human intelligence operatives are tracing Saren and Benezzia's financial transactions. Eventually, they will succeed. That would lead her to Noveria."

"And the other?"

"The salarians have started their own investigation. The STG agents will talk to each other and correlate data. That means that sooner or later, they will discover the installation on Virmire and the connection with Saren. They may contact the humans."

"No!" This time the hunter seemed truly agitated. "That cannot be allowed. The humans must not discover the laboratory."

"You panic too quickly. STG does not share data with outsiders until they are forced to, so they'll start by sending in their own special forces. When that proves insufficient, they will contact the turians, who will react in typical turian fashion. They will send in troops, who will also fail. Then they will want to bombard the site from orbit, but the salarians will object, which will freeze everything in place. At that point, the salarians may contact the humans and ask for help, but such a request will have to go through the Council. That gives us time."

"Make sure it does. If necessary, plant information for the humans to find. Send them to Noveria. I have a hunting party standing by. They will be ready to deal with Shepard there."

 **!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-**

 **A/N:** A _completely different encounter with Mikhailovich. In the game, he was a bit too much of a cliche to my taste. Plus, as obnoxious as he is in the game, he makes some valid points. The design of Normandy definitely leaves some room for improvement, (as shown by the fact that Cerberus made a much-improved version) and it is a huge investment in a ship that is inherently limited. So, I changed things. And, yes, if you go back to my story Someone had blundered, he had a small cameo during the First Contact War, and, yes, I did have this encounter in mind when I put him there. It took a few years, but my planning paid off!_

 _The medical issue. This is one of those things that always pissed me off when watching Star Trek. One doctor, who is qualified to work on dozens of different species? Considering that it takes a decade to qualify in just one speciality of human medicine, how does anyone imagine that this is possible? The autodoc from Prometheus could be a game-changer in this regard, but keep in mind that in Prometheus it is stated that it cost a fortune and that one could only work on male humans!_ _As for Chakwas, I wrote her a bit different from the game, but let's be honest, Shepard has already shown she's willing to torture prisoners for information and/or have them executed. If I were a physician serving aboard her ship, I'd have concerns._

 _And then there is Miranda. My universe is very different from canon, and with human space largely closed to aliens, there is no incentive for Cerberus to exist, at least not as a terrorist organisation. Yet, TIM was part of military intelligence in my version of the First Contact War and he'd still need someone to oversee operations._


	27. To arms

**I don't own either Alien vs Predator or Mass Effect.**

 **!-!-!-!-!-** **!-!-!-!-!-** **!-!-!-!-!-** **!-!-!-!-!-** **!-!-!-!-!-** **!-!-!-!-!-** **!-!-!-!-!-!**

 **Near Relay 314**

The mass relay flared up. It should have been an exciting moment, but it wasn't. The two turian frigates had kept station on the relay for over a week, waiting and observing, careful not to approach too closely. They were not the only ones carrying out such a task. Two more frigates were currently in the outer reaches of the Utopia system, observing Eden Prime and the human fleet that was surrounding the planet. A third duo had perhaps the most important task of all, infiltrating the Shanxi system in order to observe its mass relay, a delicate task considering human sensitivities regarding Hierarchy fleet activity anywhere near that particular system.  
Meanwhile, the bulk of General Corinthus' fleet was parked in an empty start system, carefully chosen for both its location and lack of significance so as to avoid a direct confrontation with the humans. It was an imperfect situation, but it was the best they could do.  
Between the six strategically placed frigates the Hierarchy could keep an eye all human ship movements without placing a major fleet unit directly inside a strategically important system, while General Conrinthus could still be reasonably sure that he would receive a warning in time should the United Systems Military decide to take action. Meanwhile, keeping the bulk of his fleet out of any system that the humans would consider vital helped Corinthus to avoid provoking them. Not that they were unaware of it, of course. Several human frigates had been observed hanging around Corinthus' fleet, fighter patrols had swept through the outer orbits of both the Utopia and Shanxi systems and chased the turian frigates around for a while, and even the merchant vessels passing through Relay 314 made it a point to sent a brief greeting to the turians, just in case they were under any illusion that they had managed to remain hidden.

Initially, it had been exciting, but after a few days, the glamour wore off. The relay would flare up; a ship would either appear or disappear as the case might be; whoever had the watch would note it and could basically go back to sleep. They had determined that the volume of merchant traffic through the relay was high, exceptionally high even, but that was not much of a surprise. As far as was known, there was no direct relay connection between the human core worlds and their colonies in the Skyllian Verge. Instead, any ship that wanted to make the trip would have to go to Shanxi, then travel under its own FTL drive to Relay 314 in order to make the jump to the Verge. As a result, a sizeable fraction of the humans' total shipping passed through this part of space on a regular basis. This was well known to the Hierarchy' strategic planners who considered severing that connection to be one of the first strategic goals in any conflict with the Alliance of United Systems.  
Of course, no one doubted that the humans were equally aware of their vulnerability but their treaty with the Citadel Council had prevented them from fortifying the Relay 314 system or maintaining a fleet presence in the nearby systems. The attack on Eden Prime had changed all that, provoking the humans into sending their fleet into the Utopia System, which in turn had led to the Hierarchy's response. It constituted a massive escalation that pleased no one, least of all the aforementioned strategic planners, who were seeing the exact same moves that would have occurred at the start of an actual conflict. But, as nerve-wracking as the current situation might be for the people at the top, nothing could alleviate the boredom of the turian crews who had spent a week counting merchant ships. Therefore, it was hardly surprising that their reactions had slowed down a bit. Not by much, of course. After all, these were still a turian warship and turians would never be accused of sloppiness. Still, instead of sounding an alert as soon as the relay spun up, the officer of the watch waited for whatever vessel was about to make the transit to appear.

And it did, with the brilliant flash of light that characterized all such transits. The officer on duty tapped his display enter the data into the daily log, then froze.

"Check those numbers!"

All thoughts of boredom were lost as the bridge crew reset their instruments and waited for the next sensor-sweep to finish.

Turians did not grow pale when taking fright. Neither did their eyes widen in surprise or narrow in anger. Still, it would have been easy for even the most ignorant of observers to read the shock in their body language.

"Size of vessel confirmed."

The officer looked at the data again, not even trying to hide his horror. The ship on the scanners was monstrous, at least four times the length of any turian dreadnought., significantly longer even than the Destiny Ascension, though the internal volume might be more similar due to the difference in shape. There had been reports of large human vessels, some even larger than this, but those had been cargo vessels, slow and ponderous, relying on the humans' unique tachyon shunt drives for FTL travel, which had been dismissed as far too slow to be practical for military use. This vessel had used a mass relay and whatever it was, it was no merchant ship.

"Sir, incoming message."

"Put- put it on speaker."

It took only a second, then the message came through.

"This is USM Kilimanjaro to Hierarchy patrol. Please respond. I repeat, this is USM Kilimanjaro to Hierarchy patrol. Please respond."

 **-0-0-0-**

 **USM Normandy**

 _Just when you figure your life isn't going to become any more fucked up._ Shepard sighed. _Lawson._ The short meeting had upset her more than she cared to acknowledge. As much as she prefered to forget about the whole thing, she couldn't stop the memories from coming back.

 _"So, Ms. eh Lawson. What can I do for you?"_

 _The other woman smiled. "Actually, Lieutenant, it's more about what I can do for you. My boss has sent me to deliver a warning to you. He is very concerned about the upcoming mission."_

 _"Your boss?"_

 _"My boss is... Well, let us just say that he sits at the centre of military intelligence."_

 _"Really?"_

 _"Yes. He is very gifted at unravelling the threads of a plot and seeing the heart of the matter. So much so, that people have started to call him 'The Illusive man'"." She smiled again. "T.I.M. for short."_

 _"T.I.M.?" Shepard snorted. "So, you're saying that there are some, who call him... Tim?"_

 _Lawson's smile disappeared. "It's not a joking matter, Lieutenant. And neither is the upcoming attack. Y_ _ou understand that this is more than a simple rescue operation."_

 _"Obviously."_

 _"Unfortunately, it appears to us that some people cannot quite make up their minds what it is supposed to be. There is much talking of 'sending a message to the aliens'. We don't disagree with that, you understand. But the problem is that there seem to be many different thoughts on what the message is supposed to be. Though a glorious victory is in and of itself a message, I suppose. "_

 _"A glorious victory," Shepard repeated._

 _"Yes. That's what they call it," Lawson said sourly. "Talk about selling the hide before you've shot the bear! In any case, not sure exactly what it is that makes certain victories glorious, but, then again, I've got the suspicion that there are more people that are confused on this particular subject. Unfortunately, they seem to have made some dubious choices based on this 'glorious victory' concept. In particular, your commanding officer."  
_

 _"Major Kyle."_

 _"Yes." She fell silent as if she was waiting for Shepard to continue the conversation. Then she shook her head. "You refuse to comment on your superiors. Fair enough. We'll come back to that in a moment. First: the strategic goals of this attack are to A) Put an end to the slave-trading through Torfan, B) Liberate as many slaves as possible, and C) prove to the galaxy at large that we can do this and nobody can stop us. Would you agree on these points?"_

 _"I would add: Not necessarily in that order," Shepard nodded. "But yes, those seem to be the main goals."_

 _"Then let's continue. Have you truly considered these goals? Even if we lay waste to Torfan, there is nothing to stop somebody else from rebuilding. Not unless we occupy the system permanently, which we will not and cannot do. And even if we manage to make enough of an impression and do enough damage that people will decide against rebuilding Torfan, what's to stop them from setting up shop elsewhere? Torfan is a convenience for the slave trade, not a necessity. Liberating the slaves is a noble goal, of course, but is it worth it? How many slaves are there? How many can we realistically hope to recover? From a humanitarian point of view it may be worthwhile, but from a practical point of view? We cannot hope to free every enslaved human or even a majority of them. Not without invading the Hegemony directly as well as launching a crusade across the Terminus systems. Things which, once again, we cannot and will not do. So, what's left? Flexing our muscles and showing off our toys? We can do that by holding a parade. Showing the galaxy that we can get away with it? We risk a war with the Citadel Council and the Hierarchy, just to prove a point? And what point, Lieutenant? Effectively, we'll be proving the point that we can get away with proving a point. Do you really think anyone will be impressed?"_

 _Shepard remained silent._

 _"So that is the first major concern we have with this operation. The second is operational. It cannot have escaped your notice that the briefing was a bit low on details, especially as to what would happen once the colony was breached."_

 _"True. But then again, it is tough to plan when we have no clear understanding as to who and what we'll find and what they'll be doing."_

 _Now it was Lawson's turn to snort. "Oh, we know more than you think, Lieutenant. But what we know is inconvenient, so some people are doing their very level best to ignore it. The defence force of Torfan is made up of three components: A loose group of mercenaries recruited from all over the Terminus, several units of batarians -Hegemony Special Intervention Troops, even though they pretend otherwise-, and finally, an elite unit of Bloodpack mercs, mostly Krogan and Vorcha, that serve as the governor's personal bodyguard. Tell me, Lieutenant, what will they do when you storm the colony?"_

 _Shepard shrugged. "It depends. The mercs might surrender, if they think they don't have a chance to win and if they think we'll let them live. Not the batarians. If they are really from the Special Intervention Unit, they'll have to fight. They cannot afford to be captured alive and they'd probably be executed by their own people if they were. Even for the mercs, it's a long shot. Too much chance of us executing them as pirates. They could try to use the slaves as bargaining chips; let them go in exchange for a ticket out of there."_

 _"A ticket on what, Lieutenant? By that time we'll have secured all ships. In fact, we'll probably have destroyed most of them. Besides, how could they trust us? They'd have to keep the slaves hostage on board of those ships to protect themselves, something we would never allow. So?"_

 _"So they'll fight."_

 _"Yes. They'll fight. You and the rest of the unit will have to fight your way through tunnel after tunnel against an entrenched enemy with nothing to lose. Lieutenant, I can only say that I'm relieved I will not be joining you in that battle. And that brings me to the last problem: Major Kyle. A glorious victory requires a glorious leader. So, the powers that be were very careful in their selection. Now, Major Kyle's superiors seem very impressed with him and his resume makes great reading. He has had all his tickets punched. A fast-track officer if ever there was one. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if he becomes Skymarshall one day. The perfect man to lead troops into glorious victory. When the battle is won he'll look great for the cameras and anyone looking into his record will marvel at how spotless it is. It will also look great on Major Kyle's record, something that will greatly please his sponsors. But I wonder, who will be winning that victory? I cannot help but notice that for all the ticket punching and spotlessness of Major Kyle's record, there seems to be one thing that he's rather light on, combat experience."  
_

Even after all these years, Shepard remembered that moment, the bubble of resentment that had already been there welling up inside her.

 _"Officers like Major Kyle don't need combat experience, Ms Lawson. In fact, they are better off without it. Actual combat might spoil the spotlessness of their records."_

 _"Quite so, Lieutenant. Quite so. So, tell me," Lawson leaned forward, her eyes boring into Shepard's. "What will happen, when the defenders refuse to follow our playbook? When they refuse to surrender? When Major Kyle has to fight his way through Torfan room after room and tunnel after tunnel? What will happen?"_

 _"He'll fold," Shepard said. "He'll freeze, or he'll run. Doesn't matter. One way or another, he'll screw it up."_

 _"That's what we fear, Lieutenant. And when that happens, when the ground-offensive screeches to a halt with the slaves still in their pens and the batarians still in control, what then? The fleet cannot stay in Torfan forever. Our fighter squadrons cannot hold the connecting relays forever. Sooner or later, the Hegemony will notice what's happening, as will the Hierarchy, and the Council. And then the Hegemony will run screaming to the Council, who will run screaming to the Hierarchy, who will have no choice but to order their fleet to re-open the relay connections by force. And then what? Will we fight the turians and hope that they will not escalate beyond that first exchange? Or will we cut and run, with our tails between our legs? What point will we prove then?"  
_

 _She leaned back again._

 _"You see our concerns."_

 _Shepard nodded. "If the purpose of the operation is to prove a point, we must succeed. And we can only succeed if we act quickly, decisively. You think Major Kyle cannot do that. So, you want someone else to stand by and be ready to take over, if- no, not if, when he screws up."_

 _"Yes."_

 _"You do realize that by then I might be dead already?"_

 _Lawson shrugged. "That possibility exists, of course. But so far you've proven yourself to be hard to kill. We've studied your record, extensively. In its own way, it's just as interesting as Kyle's. You have similar family connections, for example, though yours seem less eager to exert themselves on your behalf."_

 _"Assignments and promotions must be earned, they should not be used as birthday gifts."_

 _"True. Even so, there are a few additional problems, aren't there? In fact, your first commanding officer expressed some doubts about you after a raid on a smuggler base. Something about a lack of prisoners."_

 _Shepard kept her voice even. "They resisted."_

 _"Of course. In any case, that's the sort of mark one expects on the record of an experienced officer; the sort of mark that Major Kyle lacks. And while others may consider it a problem, we actually count it as a point in your favour._ _That's why we made sure you'd be in this position, just like Major Kyle's high-ranking friends made sure of his assignment."_

 _"Thanks!" Shepard laughed harshly. "I'm flattered. But what do you think a platoon leader can do if the battalion-commander fails. It's not as though I'm next in the chain of command."  
_

 _"But you are the most senior, and most experienced, of the platoon leaders. You'll be chosen to lead the attack. And so you can make sure that the attack doesn't falter, that you remain in action, no matter what happens. You will be supported. All three company commanders are solid, experienced officers, but they will not simply ignore Kyle's_ _orders without good reason."_

 _"And you think I will?"_

 _"As I said, Lieutenant, we've studied your record," Lawon said. "We believe that you will choose to do your duty. No matter what orders you receive."  
_

 _"Right," Shepard said._ _"But that's not all isn't it, Ms Lawson? There is something else you want; something about the nature of the point we're trying to prove; something you think I'll be able to do for you."_

 _Lawson smiled. "Oh, that? Yes, of course. You may want to ask yourself, Lieutenant, what would make it all worthwhile. What could make such an impression that closing down Torfan would put an end to the slave raids?" She stood up. "Think about it, Lieutenant. Think hard. This battle is going to be fought, no matter what you or I, or anyone says; and it's going to cost a lot of lives. Would it not be better if at least it served a purpose?"_

"Yeah. It served a purpose, alright." Shepard shook her head. What was done was done. In all honesty, she could not even say that Lawson and whoever she had behind her had been wrong. The Torfan raid had been a sound, if perhaps overly ambitious, concept, messed up by people that were blinded by visions of martial grandeur. Someone had had to fix the impending mess before it blew up in humanity's collective face. And things had worked out the way they had wanted them to, she had personally seen to that. _Well, perhaps I gave them more than they bargained for; but, hey, nobody can say I'm not willing to_ _go the extra mile! Oh no, above and beyond the call of duty, that's me._

And now they were back, poking their noses into another mission. It did explain why the request for new equipment had gone through so quickly. If someone high up in intelligence was pulling strings a lot of red tape could be cut. The question was, what were they going to ask for in return?

 **-0-0-0-**

"Hello, handsome. Where have you been all my life?" Ashley Williams cooed as she gently ran her hand over the exoskeleton. The latest in infantry combat technology, straight out of Weyland-Yutani's military research division. No more extended harnesses, no more counterweights. This baby would fit like a glove over her new armour. It carried its own power source, its own shield generator, and most importantly, its own strength enhancers that allowed a normal human to carry an M56 smart gun, or any equivalent weapon, as though it was an assault rifle. There were downsides to it, of course, like there were to any piece of technology. Like anything with a power source it could potentially be hacked or disrupted, and, if the power failed, it would leave the user weighted down, nearly immobilized. That was why it had been developed as an add-on, rather than an integral piece of the armour. You could detach it and walk away. Not that Ashley planned to walk away from it anytime soon. _So much firepower, so many possibilities._

"Chief Williams?"

 _Seriously, cannot a girl have a little moment around here? Wait..._ The voice had sounded almost human. Almost, but- She turned around. _Great. Now what?_

"I- I was told to talk to you. About armour. Commander Shepard said I would need it if I have to join her on a planet."

"Right." Ashley sighed. To be fair, the Commander had mentioned the need to fit their asari guest with some protective gear, and as the senior -and only- NCO among the marines that fell within her responsibilities; never mind that playing dress-up with an asari was right next to dentist visits on her list of least favourite things. She quickly looked around the hangar in the hope that someone, anyone else more suited to the job was available. Unfortunately, it didn't look good. None of the other marines was around and the only people in the hangar other than a couple of nvay personnel doing routine maintenance were the turian, who seemed to be doing tests on his helmet vizor, and the krogan who was doing whatever it was that he did when he was hanging out in the hangar bay. _Alright, let's get this over with._

"Yes, right." She looked the asari over. At least the alien had had the common sense to wear her environment suit and not the borrowed human clothes she normally wore, so she could get to work right away. "We cannot put you in human armour. The helmet wouldn't fit, and we cannot match your helmet to human armour. The seals are incompatible. So, we'll have to improvise."  
She opened one of the newly arrived crates and searched for a moment. _There._ "We just received these."

Ashley looked up to find the asari staring at her in confusion.

"I don't-"

"Detachable combat harness." She held the object up so the alien could get a closer look. "Basically, it's a series of straps and buckles that you wear over your suit. They serve as attachment points for armour plates. There's even a helmet cover that goes with it. Can be used to add protection to existing armour, or to turn a normal environmental suit into body armour. All we need to do is adjust it to fit you and start adding plates. " Ashley shook her head. "And I trust you know what you need in that regard. It's not like I have any idea what kind of armour works for an asari biotic-"

"Heavy power armour," a deep voice rumbled behind Ashley, making her jump. How a full-sized krogan battlemaster in heavy armour was able to sneak up on people was a mystery she had yet to solve, but somehow Urdnot Wrex managed it.

"What?"

"Of course!" The turian had walked over from the MAKO and nodded his head solemnly. "Heavy power armour is the ONLY good armour for asari biotics. Everybody knows that."

"Oh, for..." The asari was rolling her eyes in disturbingly human fashion. "It's an old joke. 'The best armour for an asari biotic is heavy power armour. You stick it on an elcor and put him in front of the asari.' That one dates back all the way to the Rachni Wars."

"The way I heard it," Vakarian mused. "You put the asari on the elcor's back."

Ashley snorted, she could not help herself. "Well, the other way round wouldn't be very practical." She ignored the laughter, or species-dependent equivalent, that followed and went back to her task. _And now I'm joking around with xenos._ "Here. You've pretty much got human dimensions, so we just need to adjust the length of the straps." _  
_

Getting the asari into the harness proved easier than she had expected. Despite the similarity to a human form, the asari's body proved more flexible, even in the environmental suit and once the straps were in place, it was just a matter of moving the buckles until they had a tight fit. "Here we go. I'll mark the length of each strap, so we know the correct length for future reference. next, the armour."

"Ehm, what about these?" The asari was inspecting the harness, focussing on the various pouches and clips attached to the belt.

"Those? Just the usual belt attachments. This stuff goes over your normal suit and you don't want to have to take it off to get to your equipment. So, we got a holder for a tablet, guess you won't need that. Flashlight," She pulled the item out of the box. "You can also clip that to your shoulder if you want to keep your hands free, but I wouldn't advice it. Once the enemy figures out that's how you carry it, they know exactly where to shoot you. No weapons, they come with their own holsters. Just this." She tossed the final item to the asari, who caught it gingerly.

"I'm so sorry, but what is it."

"This? Tool knife." T'Soni didn't look as though that clarified much. "Here." Ashley reached out and took it back and folded it open. "Pair of plyers, basically the central tool of every design and double as a wire-cutter. Knife -locks in place-, saw, a bit-holder -bits are in a separate set in the same pouch-, measuring stick engraved on the side, even a couple of can-openers, though that's a bit old-fashioned these days."

"But-" It seemed like it was still not quite clear. "Why would you need this? This is what an omnitool is for."

Now it was Ashley's turn to look confused.

"A what? Why would we bother with that? You need a computer, some element zero, and a whole bunch of incredibly expensive equipment just to mimic what we can build-out of a piece of steel for a fraction of the price. It's not tied to your computer, or your communicator, so if one fails the other is still useful, plus it doesn't need a power source, which is always good. Sure, you may need a tool that's not on your particular knife, but let's be honest, how many of you people can actually program their omnitools to form something new? Maybe that quarian chick can do it, they're supposed to be good at it. But from everything I've heard most of you just go to the nearest computer terminal and download whatever upgrade you need and if it doesn't exist yet, you go to a store to have it made. How is that different from me going online and buying a new knife? Either way, it's not going to happen if you're stuck in the middle of nowhere."

She shook her head and turned back to the armour crate to dig up the plates, leaving a century-old alien to stare in wonder at a tool that any pre-spaceflight boy scout would have recognized instantly.

 **-0-0-0-**

 **HNV Stalwart Defense, flagship of the Hierarchy expeditionary force**

Three dreadnoughts, one of the new carriers, twenty cruisers, and eight frigates formed an impressive sight as they orbited the local gas giant. In fact, they were currently the largest concentration of Hierarchy firepower outside of Citadel Space. The number had been carefully chosen. Not so much that they would provoke the humans into doing anything rash, but enough to remind them that no matter how strong they thought themselves to be, the Hierarchy was always stronger.  
At least, that had been the idea. And initially, it had worked. Opposing hem were two small human fleets, each concentrated around a pair of carriers. Together these could have become a serious threat, but the humans were not in a position to combine them. One fleet had been stationed at Shanxi to protect the colony as well as the relay that formed the gateway into the United Systems. The other was currently in the Utopia system, dealing with the ongoing crisis on Eden Prime and protecting the colony from further attack.  
The humans could not combine their fleets without uncovering one of these systems and if they wanted to confront the turians, they'd have to leave them both open to attack while the frigates that general Corinthus had dispatched throughout these star systems ensured that he would be informed the moment the humans moved. Protecting both systems while making an offensive move at the same time would have required them to double their forces, a serious escalation, as well as a considerable strain on their operational budget, and the humans had refrained from doing so. Until now.

General Corinthus looked around the room where most of his senior officers had gathered. Normally, he would have used a conference call, but not this time. For this, he wanted them to be on his flagship in person.

"Has the sensor data been confirmed?"

"Yes, sir, and the results match. These are the same class of ship, both at Shanxi and at Relay 314."

"More than four kilometres long; carries a fighter compliment, but it's not a dedicated carrier. Instead, they have two mass accelerators that probably extend for at least two-thirds of the hull-length, heavy secondary batteries along the flanks, and are absolutely bristling with GARDIAN emplacements. Not to mention carrying more armour than three normal dreadnoughts combined. They weren't shy about showing off every detail either; no attempt to even try to interfere with our sensors. They wanted us to see all of it."

"Yes, sir," The commanding officer of HNV Razor Claw said. The frigate has just completed the journey from Shanxi in what had to be record time and arrived just in time to meet one of its counterparts as they arrived from Relay 314, bringing a near-identical message. "They were practically broadcasting the specifications of the ship that we saw. They identified themselves as the USM Kilimanjaro and USM Olympus Mons. We're trying to trace those names but-"

"But those are completely irrelevant except to a xeno-psychologist." General Corinthus studied the data again. "I suppose congratulations are in order! We've found the answer to a twenty-five-year-old question: why do humans not build dreadnoughts? Answer: dreadnoughts are too small and weak for their taste. But how did they do it? Where did they find the element zero supplies to build ships like this?"

There was a moment of silence.

"Well? Anyone?"

"I- I don't think they did, sir," One of the officers said. "If you look at the energy readings, you'll see that the drive core is much smaller than expected. About the size you'd expect on a normal dreadnought or carrier. I've run the numbers. It would be enough to allow the ship to use a mass relay, but not enough to provide an effective FTL drive. If they tried, they'd have to discharge their drive cores so often it becomes impossible to use them. They'd end up stuck in the void between star systems."

"But that makes no sense," Another officer objected. "Even with the smaller core, a ship like this is a considerable investment. There is no way they would spend that much on ships that are completely restricted to the relays; especially in their situation, with their core worlds separated from their Verge colonies by the Shanxi-Relay 314 gap. The strategic limitations-"

"Aren't as big as you think," Corinthus sighed. "Not for them. They have an alternative, remember?" He looked around and saw the comprehension in their eyes.

"Their tachyon shunt drive," someone breathed.

"Exactly. It gives them FTL travel without element zero. Somehow they must have put together a hybrid. Something that allows them to use the relays without having to invest in a full-sized eezo core. FTL travel outside the relay network will be slow in such a ship, very slow, but it can still reach the surrounding systems if necessary. But I don't think they will need to do that very often. Remember, the ship at Relay 314 came out of that relay, so it was already in the Verge. Chances are it was built there. If I were in their position, I'd certainly construct a shipyard in the Verge to support my fleet. As for the strategic limitations," Corinthus shook his head. "That depends on what they intend to use them for. Don't think of these ships as dreadnoughts; that's not what they are. These are mobile fortresses. They're intended to block relay connections. All they need to do is place one on top of a relay and it shuts down all traffic. That mitigates the strategic problem of their dismal FTL speed. Under most circumstances, they won't need to visit nearby systems. They can wait for their enemy to come to them because sooner or later the enemy will have to reopen the relay. And except for the Destiny Ascension, there is no ship in the galaxy that can engage these ships one-on-one. So, what can the enemy do? What can _we_ do?"

"Concentrate a fleet," someone said. "That's the only option. Three or four dreadnoughts with carrier support should be able to overmatch one of these ships and they cannot have built all that many of them. Even with a small eezo core, the cost in money and resources has to be considerable. That's a huge investment in a platform that lacks tactical flexibility."

"True, but it will still take a small fleet to engage just one of these ships successfully. And it has to be done with dreadnoughts. I doubt our cruisers would be able to break through its armour even if the humans don't fight back. Meanwhile, their own fleet is free to do whatever it wants." Corinthus looked around. "Our position here was strong because we forced them to maintain fleets around both Shanxi and Eden Prime while also keeping ships in the Verge to stop us from passing through Relay 314, whereas we could move freely because we don't have any local real-estate to defend. But now they've secured two out of three mass relays in this region as well as their colony at Shanxi. That buys them complete operational freedom for their carrier groups. We can no longer threaten Shanxi because we lack the firepower to take that ship if it's supported by the planet's fighter squadrons. We could try to attack the one at Relay 314, but even if we'd win, we'd take catastrophic losses, so that's not realistic either. Meanwhile, they can send their carriers from Shanxi to join up with the ones at Eden Prime and use the combined force to go after us. At that point we'll have no choice but to fall back toward Citadel Space, leaving them with complete control over the buffer zone. Solutions?"

"We'll need reinforcements."

"Really? And how many reinforcements do we ask for?" Corinthus' voice was harsh. "It would have to be enough that we can successfully engage one of these ships. So, let's say we need a minimum of at least four or five dreadnoughts with two carriers for fighter support. Plus the additional screening units. Remember, we don't just need to destroy the ship, we'd have to do it without taking crippling losses. So, effectively we'd need to increase our strength by at least fifty per cent. A serious escalation, but one that they can match if they want to. The logical step for them would be to put a destroyer squadron next to each of these new ships, perhaps supported by one of their auxiliary carriers and concentrate their two large carrier groups at Eden Prime. So, then we'd need even more ships. I suspect we'd need at least six dreadnoughts and three carriers to maintain credibility. Are we willing to go that far? Is the Council? Especially when the humans are not actively threatening anyone. They've not attacked our ships, or even ordered us out of those star systems.  
Of course, that's still assuming they don't bring in any more of these ships. If they do, and they're willing to wait a couple of months, they can put one of them on Relay 288 cut us off from Citadel Space. Such a ship might already be on its way."

"And no way for us to intercept it, or even know about it until they reach the relay," One of the officers nodded. "If they use a tachyon shunt, they don't need to discharge their drive cores, so they can pick whatever route they want without passing through any other system. They could be anywhere."

"Exactly. If they intend to escalate we won't know until it's too late and we're trapped. So, first things first. I will report this immediately to the Council. We'll use the FTL buoys to send the signal. I will also contact Hierarchy command and request immediate reinforcements. As for our own security, all frigates will return to their duty stations and keep the humans under constant observation. Finally, I want two frigates to return to Relay 288 and take up a position there. If the humans try to cut us off, we need to know about it. Meanwhile, we will start running every possible simulation based on what we know about these ships. If we're forced to engage them, I want to be as prepared as possible."

He looked around the room. "Make no mistake about it, this galaxy is changing, even as we speak. And it will only take one bad decision to turn that change into a nightmare. Let's make sure that we're not the ones making that bad decision.

 **!-!-!-** **!-!-!-** **!-!-!-** **!-!-!-** **!-!-!-** **!-!-!-** **!-!-!-** **!-!-!-** **!-!-!-** **!-!-!-** **!-!-!-**

 **A/N:** _Good old D &D humour._ _What's the best armour for a mage? Full plate! Slap it on a fighter and have him stand in front of the mage. (Yes, I'm a geek.) I always liked the scene in ME3 where Joker tells the joke about the salarian and the krogan that go to a rachni planet. He says it's the only joke that both species tell, but there have to be more. These people have interacted for thousands of years. There has to be this enormous volume of shared culture that humans have never heard of. And it helps to break the ice_ _ _a bit_ considering Ashley's discomfort around aliens.  
_

 _To quote Sun Tzu: "The enemy has no choice but to engage me, for I threaten those positions he must keep safe."  
_ _The mass relays completely dominate the strategic situation. They turn space into an endless series of chokepoints. So, you always know in advance where the battles are going to take place. You could build armed space stations next to each relay, but they would be too vulnerable. They cannot dodge, so the enemy could just toss asteroids at them from a distance. I considered mobile fortresses that have no form of FTL travel, so they would be restricted to one star system but dismissed the idea. Being mobile, they'd qualify as dreadnoughts under the treaty of Farixen so you'd end up with a bunch of very limited, purely defensive dreadnoughts.  
_ _This ship is a compromise. Not as flexible as the Destiny Ascension,_ _ _but with sufficient tactical and strategic options to make it worth building while_ cheap enough that you can build more than one of them, which, to be honest, makes the Destiny Ascension a bit of a white elephant._ _  
_

 _I recently posted an update to my parallel story: Intelligence reports to show what the current turian thinking on naval strategy was. Guess they miscalculated. A little._


	28. The exercise of power

**I don't own either Mass Effect or AvP**

 **!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-** ** **!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-**** **!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-** **!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-** **!-!-!-!-!-!-**

 **Palaven, Capital City**

The office was sparse, functional, lacking in ostentation and yet, the person who worked here was, according to many, the single most powerful individual in the galaxy. He himself had once thought so. It had taken him decades to reach it, to achieve this position from which he knew he would be able to use his abilities to the greatest effect, the position that would help him serve his people, and the galaxy as a whole. And yet, the first time the galaxy had presented him with a challenge he had failed. In fact, he had failed twice. The first time because he had acted instinctively rather than from careful consideration, the second time because he had trusted the wrong individual to help him recover from the first mistake. Others had been forced to step in and fix the problem he had helped create. According to some, allowing that to happen had been his third mistake. But, whether or not that was true, it had shown him the limitations of his power. He was not going to forget that lesson.

"And there have been no further messages since then?"

The advisor who was still standing near the desk shook his head. "No, Primarch."

Primarch Fedorian stood up and walked over to the window.

"General Corinthus is no fool; nor is he a hot-head. That's why he was entrusted with this mission. He will not initiate hostilities. For the moment we will assume that the humans are equally sensible and will keep their distance. So, if neither side has started shooting since he sent his report and the situation remains unchanged, what can we do?"

"Primarch, General Corinthus' fleet is too exposed. It may be unlikely that the humans want war, but it is possible. And if they do, they will certainly move toward Relay 288 and cut him off."

The Primarch nodded. "I agree. To be honest, I'd prefer for him to fall back to Relay 288 now and take up a position there. But we cannot do that. Not with tensions running this high. If we're seen to retreat, that could trigger panic here at home. It might also encourage the humans to do something foolish."

"So we reinforce Corinthus?"

"No. He's correct in his assessment. If we send enough reinforcements to be effective, it will constitute a massive escalation. The last thing we want is to push the humans into a corner. And sending less than that would be a futile gesture." He turned back and took another look at the star map that was hovering in the air over his desk. It showed the position of the Hierarchy's fleets as they were spread out throughout Citadel Space. An impressive sight, certainly, but right now it appeared to mock him. _All that power at the tips of my talons and yet, what does it actually mean? What can I actually achieve with it?_

"I may not be able to give Corinthus the force he needs to fight the humans, not without escalating the situation, but I can make sure that he does not get cut off from Citadel Space. Send a message to Aephus fleet district and tell them to prepare as many ships as possible for immediate deployment. The same to Degeris. I want a minimum of five dreadnoughts and a carrier. We'll position them at Relay 288. That's far enough from the human colonies to not to be an immediate threat, but it will ensure Corinthus has an escape rout and it'll show the humans they cannot hope to enter Citadel Space without a major battle. And if it actually comes to a shooting war, we can combine them with Corinthus' force. Now, who will command? We need someone who thinks before he acts and who doesn't have personal issues with humans."

"General Victus is available. And he has the required seniority."

"Victus? Not the most popular choice I suspect, especially after Torfan."

"No, Primarch, but he may be what we need here. He understands that it's sometimes better not to act. And he doesn't let his pride get in the way of his duty. During the Torfan raid, he made the right decision, even though he must have realized how much criticism he'd draw."

"True. Very well. Contact Victus, tell him to meet up with his new command as soon as possible. His operational instructions will be ready for him when he arrives."

"Yes, Primarch. Will there be anything else?"

"No," Fedorian sat down. "Not right now. We're doing what we can to keep our people safe. The next move is up to the Council. Corinthus sent an identical report to the Citadel, so they know what's happening and I expect to hear from Councillor Sparatus at any moment. Speaking of the Citadel, tell me Vakarian, have you heard from your son recently? I understand that he is on some sort of assignment."

"He is, sir. He only informed me that he would be out of contact until further notice."

"I see. Any hint as to the nature of this assignment."

"No, sir, but-"

"But?"

"Sir, Garrus received this assignment at almost the exact moment that the situation on the Citadel got out of hand. The one involving the Butcher of Torfan. I cannot help but suspect there is a connection."

"Ah, yes, the one that ended with a rather spectacular shouting match, right in the middle of the audience hall and the, eh, 'Butcher' being thrown off the Citadel. Well, I guess we'll find out in due time. Please keep me informed of any new developments."

 ** **-0-0-0-****

 **USM Normandy**

"Vakarian, ready for our next deployment?"

The turian looked up from the sniper rifle he was in the process of reassembling.

"I'm always ready, Shepard. Though, I have to ask, what exactly do you expect to find there? I heard about the claims of 'robot attacks', but what would Saren want in that place?"

"Other than the prothean stuff that everybody seems to want," Shepard shrugged. "I have no idea. Then again, I'm still not entirely sure what he wanted on Eden Prime either. Did he want the beacon and just used the attack as a way to get it, or did he simply want to hit a major human colony and decided to take advantage of the fact that we found the beacon to do some looting? I suspect the first. If all he wanted was to kill a lot of humans, there are better ways. Honestly, if I were in his position, I'd have deployed the xenomorphs on a planet owned by a Council species and then blamed it on the humans. After all, we're the only species that had met them before and the Council knew that. All he needed to do was find a planet that gets visited by human traders, plant some evidence and he'd have a beautiful diplomatic incident that he could use to his advantage to force a confrontation, perhaps even a war. After all, he's a Spectre. He could do the investigation himself and have the evidence say whatever he wanted. Then again, maybe Eden Prime is the foundation for that. Make sure everybody associates the xenomorphs with a human planet, and _then_ stage an incident in Council space.  
And it might still work. Remember that when we had our little show with the Council, they suggested that the xenomorphs came out of a lab on Eden Prime. Yes, they were playing a part, but Saren doesn't know that or so we think. I'm actually rather worried about that. If he acts on his perception of the Council's attitude, he may end up turning public opinion against us and then it may not matter what the Council knows. So, no, I haven't got a clue what Saren wants anywhere, including Feros. Assuming, of course, that it's Saren who wants anything and not just the geth. There is no guarantee that every geth action is dictated by Saren."

"And so the headache continues," Garrus said. "But you're right. We don't know nearly enough about their goals. Saren, Benezia, or the geth."

"Or the xenomorphs."

Garrus looked at her strangely. "The xenomorphs? I thought they were like animals."

"That has never been fully established. I got quite a datadump along with our new equipment. Unfortunately, it was mostly speculation with very little in the way of hard facts. One thing is appallingly clear and that is how little we know about them. We don't even know what senses they use. No eyes, no ears, no nose, and yet, they observe the world around them. We don't know how they communicate, but they're clearly capable of cooperation, considering the hives they build. As for their intelligence, the individual drones don't seem to be all that smart, but then again, perhaps they don't need to be. There is considerable speculation that their actions are directed, at least to some extent, by the queen. And how smart she is? No way to tell. It's not as though you can sit down and have a conversation with these things. So, no, I wouldn't ignore the possibility that they may have their own agenda. And that would almost certainly involve either killing Saren or using him as an incubator, no matter what he may think. Cold comfort for us, though. Xenomorphs acting on their own are at least as big a problem as xenomorphs acting as Saren's shocktroops."

"A cheerful thought." Garrus snapped the last part in position and the sniper rifle folded into a compact block. "Well, whatever comes, we'll just have to deal with it. And it certainly makes for a more interesting job than chasing criminals around the Citadel."

"Ah, yes." I've been meaning to ask. "How did you end up in that job? No offence, but frankly, you seem more at ease shooting than doing typical policework. If we'd met under different circumstances, I would have figured you for an army sniper."

Garrus made a gesture the translation implant didn't recognize. "Family tradition, mostly. My father was a C-Sec officer for most of his career. Following him seemed the logical choice."

"He's retired now?"

"A few years ago. Though, from what I hear, he's back in government service on Palaven. That's not uncommon. When senior officials assemble a staff, they often call people out of retirement. The voice of experience, somewhat like the asari and their matriarchs, I suppose."

"Well, assuming we survive, you'll have an interesting story to tell him."

Garrus laughed, turian style. "He would not approve, Shepard. Certainly not of me running around the galaxy with Spectre status. And I don't think he would approve of my associating with you, either."

"He doesn't like humans? Did he fight in the war?"

"No, he was already a police officer at that time. Besides, this may come as a surprise, Shepard, but most veterans of the war don't hold a grudge. It's the ones that didn't get to fight that have a problem with humans. No, it has nothing to do with your species. It's just that my father believes things should be done according to regulations, or not at all. He'd see you as out of control, a vigilante, and he cannot stand that. Still, in this case, I think he would at least approve of the purpose of our mission. Spectres, especially those like Saren who go around doing whatever they want..., their very existence are an affront to his principles."

"He does have a point," Shepard said. "Don't get me wrong, I'm the last person to advocate blind obedience to the regulations, but there has to be some sort of oversight, some accountability." She snorted. "As we humans say: 'Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?'"

Garrus cocked his head. "That did not go through the translation."

"Oh, right. It's an old language, no longer in use. Only historians learn it these days, in order to read old manuscripts. But some phrases linger in popular use. This one means as much as 'Who will guard the guards?' With Sectres, the answer seems to be 'nobody'." There is no internal affairs department, no oversight. Like we're seeing now. Saren must have been planning this for years, perhaps even decades. And nobody knew because nobody keeps an eye on Spectre activity."  
She thought for a moment. "Well, that's not entirely true, I suppose. I'm sure the Salarian STG does keep an eye on them, and other intelligence organisations as well, but not in the sense that they exercise any control over the Spectres."

"That is true," Garrus said. "But then again, the whole point of the Spectre concept is that they can operate independently. If they were tied down with regulations, they'd become just another C-Sec."

" _Just_ another C-Sec?"Shepard's eyebrows rose. "Strange words for a C-Sec detective."

"Don't get me wrong, Shepard. C-Sec does good work. And yes, there have to be some rules. But these days, it's more bureaucracy than police force and we spend more time filling out forms about what we do than actually doing anything. And it acts as a restraint on everything we do. Every time an officer wants to do something, the first question is 'what do the regulations say about this'. If the regs say it's wrong then he cannot do it. And if the regs don't actually cover it, then everyone freezes in place, unable to decide what to do. Usually, they end up writing another regulation; but in the meantime, nothing gets done."

"Glad to see some things are universal," Shepard said. "Bureaucracies are always like that. As long as you obey the rules, you cannot be held accountable. So, everybody trips over themselves to make sure they obey every rule and regulation they can find."

"Exactly! There was this one case," The turian's eyes seemed to lose focus as he remembered. "We were on the trail of some illegal organ transplants. But we couldn't figure out how it was done. We'd covered the docks, so they couldn't be smuggling in the organs from outside. So, it had to be either a major bioengineering lab, which would be tough to hide, or someone was killing people and chopping them up for spare parts. Except, we didn't have that many missing persons, and no murder victims with missing organs either. We were running around in circles. Then one day we got a break. We recovered a turian liver, ran a DNA test and what do you know, the turian it belonged to was still very much alive."

"I take it that is not normally possible," Shepard asked. "I mean, with humans, you can effectively take the liver from a living person, cut it in half and transplant one part into another person. The donor lives."

"We wish. No, that won't work for us. Besides, this was a complete liver. So, we looked into the donor and found that he used to work for a Salarian geneticist, a Dr Saleon."

"Interesting coincidence."

"Yes, that's what we thought. But when we raided his lab, we couldn't find anything. No turian livers, no salarian hearts, not even a single krogan testicle."

"A-, wait, what?"

"Krogan testicles. Of course, you wouldn't know. Some krogan think that they can cure the genophage through a testicle transplant. It's nonsense, but they're desperate. The going rate is ten thousand credits for each testicle. That's forty thousand for a complete set." Garrus shook his head. "It's like a license to print money."

"Four- No, wait, I don't need to know. You were saying, the lab was a bust."

"Well, not quite. We interrogated his staff, and he had a lot of them, far more than you'd expect for a lab that size. And suddenly we got a break, one of them starts to bleed. And when the medics went to work on him, surprise, surprise!"

"What?"

"Well, let's just say he had fresh incisions all over his body. Surgical work."

"Wait," Shepard looked at him. "Are you saying-"

"Yes. He was growing the organs inside his own staff. He'd hired them off the streets, poor people who'd do anything for money. But here's the thing, the procedure was far from perfect and if an organ didn't grow properly, he'd just leave it in place. Those people were a mess. Like those human toys, they're selling on the Citadel now. Jigsaw puzzles, I think they're called. Except these ones had too many pieces."

"Well, at least you solved the case."

"Solved it, yes. But..." Garrus fell silent. "Saleon was insane, but he wasn't stupid. He knew the game was up. By the time we caught up with him he'd boarded a ship and was making a run for it. I gave orders to shot the ship down, but I was overruled. He'd taken a number of his test subjects hostage. I figured we'd shoot to disable the ship. If it worked, great; if the ship blew up, well, at least Saleon would no longer be around to cut people open."

"And the hostages?"

"Shepard, those hostages were dead anyway. If Saleon got away with them, they'd die sooner or later. Their only chance was if we took the ship intact."

"But your superiors didn't listen."

"No. The risk was too high, they said. Regulations forbid the use of heavy firepower in a hostage situation. So, he got away. Nobody has ever seen any of the hostages again."

"Of course not. But the regulations were obeyed. And in a bureaucracy that's all that matters. And Saleon? Did you ever find out what happened to him?"

Garrus' mandibles flared. "I did. He fled into the terminus, ended up on Omega and set up shop again. The thing is, those krogan testicle transplants I told you about? Turns out some krogan warlord wanted the procedure. When it didn't work, he wasn't very pleased. And on Omega, nobody gives a varren's ass about hostages. From what I heard by the time they were done, there wasn't enough left of Saleon's own organs to do even a single transplant."

"Well, I guess he got what was coming. So, it worked out in the end."

"That part, yes. But what about the others, Shepard? The ones he killed after he left the Citadel. Most of then may have been scum from Omega, but that doesn't make it right. We could have stopped him and instead we let him continue. I suppose that's part of the reason why I agreed to go along with this mission. I couldn't take down Saleon in time. But perhaps we can deal with Saren without being strangled by the rules."

Shepard laughed without much humour. "Perhaps, but don't get your hopes up too much, Vakarian. Trust me the USM has quite a few regulations of its own."

"They don't seem to have weighed you down too much, though."

"True. I guess I had the advantage that when I had to make similar choices, there wasn't anybody around to enforce the rules. Though perhaps you should keep in mind what the consequences were. Someone like me, I'm a weapon. Just like that rifle of yours. The bigshots aim me at a target, then they pull the trigger and people die. The thing is, sometimes there is nobody around to do the aiming and unlike a rifle, I can kill on my own, without anyone else pulling the trigger. And that can get very ugly. And even when I'm properly aimed, there are usually other people that end up getting caught in the crossfire.  
Shepard shrugged. "So, now they've aimed me at Saren and Benezia and when the time comes, I'll kill them, and if there is collateral damage, well, that will be just too bad. But at the same time, the people that become collateral damage probably wouldn't agree with that attitude.  
Ah, well, that's enough philosophy for one day. For what it's worth, I agree with you, Vakarian. Sometimes you have to be ruthless and get the job done, no matter the cost. Just make sure to remember who pays the price for your decisions. You owe them that, even if you end up making those decisions anyway. In the end, that may be the only thing that separates us from the likes of Saren." She turned to walk away. "Now, let's make sure all the gear is operational. I've got a feeling we'll need it when we reach Feros."

 **-0-0-0-**

 **The Presidum, the Citadel**

There should have been three Councillors in the room, but Valern had disappeared for most of the day, his communications blocked, with no more explanation than that he had a series of important calls to make that had to be absolutely secure. So, there were only two to discuss the latest news.

"Twenty-five years," Sparatus said. "Twenty-five years they gave us. And we studied their fleet, built carriers of our own to protect our dreadnoughts and deny them a long-range battle. And we congratulated ourselves because we thought we'd solved the problem. No matter how many carriers they concentrated in a system, the treaty of Farixen guaranteed that we could put in more dreadnoughts; and in the end, they'd be unable to stop us from closing with whatever it was that they were protecting. And even if they started building dreadnoughts we'd have too much of a headstart for them to overcome."

"And now?"

"And now? Now we can toss that entire strategic concept into the nearest recycler. It doesn't really matter how many of these ships they have right now. Probably not more than three or four, but that's enough to influence the balance of power. And they can keep building them, not at the same pace as we build our dreadnoughts but then again they don't really need to." He looked up. "Do you understand what this means, Tevos? Do you truly understand?"

Tevos sighed. "I understand it's a serious military problem Sparatus, but still-"

"Clearly you don't. Tevos, they just turned the Treaty of Farixen into a suicide pact. It was based on the assumption that everybody's dreadnoughts would be approximately the same size. They didn't specify an upper limit for dreadnoughts. For one thing, nobody wanted to outlaw the Destiny Ascension or create a special category for it. More importantly, nobody saw the need. Practical considerations took care of that aspect. Until now.  
Corinthus estimates that each of these ships is the equivalent of at least three of our dreadnoughts. Let's assume that he's right. That means that my people's guaranteed five-to-three numerical advantage just became meaningless. If they build even half as many as they are allowed, they'll have near-parity with the Hierarchy. If they build the maximum number, they'll have parity with the Hierarchy and the Asari Republics combined. Add to that the fact that we've not caught up with them yet in numbers of carriers because of all the problems in the design and development, not to mention the cost, and we're in deep trouble.  
And what can we do against it? Diplomatically, there is nothing. We cannot even protest. There is nothing about these ships that violates the treaty. We can try to outbuild them, yes; create so many dreadnoughts that they cannot keep up so that we can overwhelm them with numbers. But the effort would destroy all of us economically. Besides, that kind of arms race is exactly what the treaty was supposed to prevent. What's the alternative? Build bigger dreadnoughts? Can the Asari Republics afford to put more Destiny Ascensions into space?"

"Maybe." Tevos shook her head. "Maybe one or two. But it would cripple us for decades, just to build them, let alone keeping them on active duty."

"So, that's a no. Besides, one or two is not going to be enough. Then what? We don't even have a working prototype of a tachyon shunt drive, in fact, we barely even have a theoretical model. We never bothered because it seemed as obsolete as a steam engine. Maybe the salarians have something in a laboratory somewhere. I don't know, but I'll make sure to ask Valern. But even if they do, how long will it take to create a production model, let alone the kind of hybrid drive the humans seem to have put together? Five years, ten, twenty?  
We could leave it out, build ships with reduced eezo-cores that are completely restricted to the Relays; but that would mean that we'd be stuck with dreadnoughts that are inherently inferior to the human ships. And by building them, we'd automatically give the humans permission to build more ships unless we start scrapping our existing dreadnoughts. Not to mention that our shipyards don't have building slips that size because we never built anything that big, so we'd have to make that investment as well, and we'd have to start the design from scratch because we've never even considered building any kind of ship anywhere near this size."

"But does it matter that much? Yes, these ships are massive, and I'm sure they will be extremely dangerous in a direct fight. But how useful are they really? Outside the relay network, they're going to be hopelessly slow."

"Slow yes, but they'll still get to their destination. More importantly, being restricted to the relay network is not as big a handicap as you may think. In a sense, all ships are restricted to it, because on any significant journey they have to pass through the relays. Corinthus' analysis is correct. These are mobile fortresses, designed specifically to take advantage of the nature of the relay network. Effectively, the humans have sacrificed tactical flexibility to gain a strategic advantage. I'm still waiting on an analysis by the department of strategic planning but the simple fact that the humans thought that it was worthwhile tells us that it probably is.  
The defensive advantages are obvious. Everybody knows that the relays make for natural defensive choke points, but in practice, it's not so simple because you need a sizeable fleet to hold that point and nobody wants to tie up so much of their mobile forces in static defence. The offensive counter was always to find a region with multiple valuable targets. That way, the attacking fleet can choose which one to attack, forcing the defenders to guess which point they need to concentrate their forces on. And nobody has enough of a numerical advantage that they can afford to keep sufficient defensive forces around all their strategically important locations; the treaty of Farixen guaranteed that.  
The human ships change that. A single ship like that can effectively hold a relay or a planet against anything short of a fleet, so they don't need to tie down large numbers of ships in defensive positions. That's a huge advantage, especially for them because there is only one relay connection that leads to their core-systems. That's the Shanxi Relay and now they've blocked it. So their main population centres and industrial base are safe. In one stroke they've solved most of their strategic problems. If we go to war right now, they can concentrate the forces they have in place and drive Corinthus out of the demilitarized zone without leaving themselves open to a counter-attack. He'll have no choice but to run for Relay 288 and hope they don't manage to cut him off.  
But that's just the defensive position. Offensively, they make the situation even more complicated. Citadel Space effectively consists of a network of relay connections, with each relay surrounded by a relatively small volume of explored star systems. If the humans manage to get these ships into our space, and they can if they move from the Skyllian Verge, they can completely dictate the course of the war. The moment they put one of these ships on a relay, it will isolate all the nearby star systems. We'll have absolutely no choice but to attack that ship. Again, with normal ships, you need an entire fleet to accomplish that. They can do it with just one ship. So they can keep that one ship at the relay, then send a carrier group to clear out the local star systems, move on to the next relay and repeat the process. And concentrating our forces to engage them will also force us to leave more systems undefended, which gives them more targets."

"So, what's the solution?"

Sparatus sat down.

"There is no solution. No matter what we do, even if we're willing to put this much strain on our own economies, it will take decades before we can re-establish the correct balance of power and initially things will be getting worse, not better. From a purely military point of view, the best option would be to attack at once, with the full strength of our combined navies, before they can build any more of these ships. We take the Citadel Defense Fleet including the Destiny Ascension, as well as the available ships at Aephus and Degeris, join up with Corinthus' fleet, and attack Shanxi. Between this new ship and the rest of their local defensive forces, they'll hurt us, but we will win. That gives us Shanxi but more importantly, it seals half the human fleet inside their own space."

"So we repeat Desolas Arterius' plan on a larger scale? Don't you remember how that ended?"

"All too well. The difference is, we would be fighting to win the war, not just to force the humans to negotiate like Desolas tried to do. So we wouldn't need to surrender the initiative. While blocking the humans at Shanxi, we bring up the rest of our forces in a two-pronged attack on the Skyllian Verge. The first thrust would be aimed at Relay 314, which means we have to deal with the ship there. Again, we'd get hurt, but we can win. The second part of that attack would come through the Traverse. Between those two attacking forces, the human fleet in the Verge will eventually be trapped and destroyed because we can force them to give battle by attacking their support bases. Once that is done, we combine our fleets and push through the Shanxi relay with half our forces going to their headquarters at Arcturus and the other half using the relay's second connection to move into the humans' mining and industrial centres. That was always the strategic plan.  
Once we are inside their space, things change. The Sol system has no relay, nor do any of their older colonies, so there these new ships become useless because they cannot relocate quickly enough. Mind you, the humans may have accepted the cost to build one to protect their homeworld, even though it would be stuck there for most practical purposes."

"And what would the humans be doing in the meantime?"

"The humans? Other than bleeding us every step of the way, they will also slip part of their Verge-fleet around our forces, through the Terminus, and then into Citadel Space. Not to invade but as a raiding party. That would tie down large portions of our fleet in order to defend our homeworlds. And they can afford to do it because ultimately they don't care about the Skyllian Verge. If necessary, they'd sacrifice every colony they have there just to keep us occupied while they hit us. They will also try to bypass our forces at Relay 314 in order to cut off our supply chain, so we'd have to maintain a presence there as well. Whether we can do all that but still keep up the momentum of our attacks is currently unknown. If you'd asked me yesterday, I would have said yes. It would have been costly, and the war might have left us severely weakened, but we had the numbers to do it. Now, I just don't know. And of course, half the Terminus warlords will be sending raiding parties into our space while we're fighting the humans and there is no telling what the batarians will do. And we'd almost certainly have to withdraw from the Krogan DMZ, for lack of available ships, so we'd have that headache as well.

It doesn't matter anyway. We both know that it's not going to happen. The risks of the war escalating to the point where we destroy each other are just too great. The Hierarchy might risk that if we were convinced it had to be done but we both know your Republics will refuse and don't even get me started on the salarians. We'll not go to war, Tevos. Not unless either the humans attack us or all other options are exhausted. The first won't happen. They're not that stupid. They know that time is on their side. And by the time everybody gives up on negotiations they'll be too strong. They'll have built up their fleet to the point where mutual destruction is no longer a risk, it will be guaranteed."

"Well, that's it then," Tevos said. "If we cannot outbuild them to reestablish the status-quo; and we cannot fight a war to eliminate the threat -and I agree with you, that's just not going to happen- then there is only one thing left."

"You mean..."

"Yes. I'll talk to Valern but I already know he'll agree." She looked at the turian. "Sparatus, I know how you feel about this. I'm not happy about it myself, but it is the safest alternative. We've always known there was a way out of our problems. We just weren't willing to pay the price. Now things have changed."

"And you think the humans will agree?"

"I think so, yes, if they are approached correctly. Udina would certainly be open to it. He's ambitious and this would be the defining moment of his career. As for humanity in general, there would be problems, of course, but not as many as you'd think. It's been twenty-five years since the Relay 314 incident, and from everything I've seen, they tend to have short memories. Wars of the past are just that, the past. Other things have happened to occupy them, the colonization of the Verge, the pirate and slaver raids, the new technology they've gained. Meanwhile, they've also become more accustomed to us. Trade has helped a lot in that regard."

"And you don't think this whole Eden Prime situation will change that?"

Tevos smiled a little. "It might, but then again it might also help. They've been reminded that the universe is a dangerous place. And when you're in a dangerous place, it's good to have friends."

"And what about the others, the Elcor, the Hanar, the-"

"The Volus? Yes, that will be a much bigger problem. But it was always going to happen, Sparatus. Things could not go on forever as they are now and, in a way, we helped speed things up. As long as our power was more show than substance, the associated species were willing to accept their position. But that has changed. And now, the more power and prestige we gain, the more we will be pressured to change things."

Sparatus' mandibles clicked audibly. "I suppose you're right. I just wish..." He made a gesture that was difficult to interpret, even for someone who had dealt with turians for centuries. "I just wish it had not happened in my lifetime."

"Yes, well, when you're an asari, you can pretty much count on things happening 'within your lifetime'." Suddenly, she started to laugh. "And to think- Remember, twenty-five years ago, how hard Benezia argued that we had to bring the humans into the Citadel at all costs, make them an associate species? She was willing to risk everything, including a new war, to make that happen."

"And perhaps we should have listened to her," Sparatus said sourly. "Because at that time, the war would actually have been winnable."

"Perhaps, but we didn't know that. And after the defeat they dealt Arterius, that was not a risk anyone wanted to take. Nor do I think it would have been worth the loss of life on both sides, something that we can still prevent. But don't you see the irony? Twenty-five years ago, Benezia was willing to risk war to add the humans to the Citadel. Guess what? Now she's done it. Long after she herself gave up on a diplomatic solution, it's actually going to happen. She's risked war and what do we do?"

"We try to add the humans to the Citadel. Yes, I see the humour of it. I also think that this is not quite what she had in mind."

"Agreed, but I've studied her teachings quite a bit the past few weeks. I think, I honestly think, that she might have been open to the idea. She discussed the possibility of expanding the Council on numerous occasions and she didn't dismiss the idea out of hand. Such a shame. If only she had been willing to wait, to let history take its course. We probably would have come to this point eventually. Perhaps even in her lifetime."

"And now it will cost her her life."

"Almost certainly, yes." Tevos sighed. "We were never close friends, but I respected her. Or, at least I did before the treaty negotiations. Even afterwards, I could admire her motives, unrealistic though they were. And now I've sent a human after her with blank authorization to kill her, like a guided missile. And if Shepard succeeds, I will have to look her in the eye and thank her for her service. Tell me again, Sparatus, why did any of us ever take this job?"

The turian looked at her. "Because somebody has to do it. Better us than lot of other people we both could name. At least we're both aware of the cost of our decisions."

 **!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-**

 **A/N** _A bit of redemption for Fedorian, who screwed up rather badly in Someone had blundered. I'd like to think that someone who rises to the top of a meritocracy is capable of learning from his own mistakes._

 _Sparatus is still raining on Tevos's parade, but he is not wrong. Besides, I find it funny to make him sound reasonable and, canonically, Tevos does not seem to have any military training. Udina of all people just casually tossed her aside before she could use her biotics, not something you'd expect if she'd ever been a commando._

 _I killed off Saleon off-screen. Like I've said before, I'm ignoring most of the sidequests because they just don't fit. Military officers don't go off on private missions whenever the mood takes them. Still, the story does show an insight into Garrus' character and motivations._


	29. Arrivals and departures

**I don't own Mass Effect or AvP.**

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 **Fifth Fleet, Skyllian Verge  
**

The VIP shuttle was state-of-the-art, equipped with the best communications equipment human technology could provide. Normally, Admiral Hackett considered it something of an affectation that existed primarily to make people feel important. _Look at how important I am. The universe will collapse if I cannot communicate for half an hour!_ But under present circumstances, he was glad of it. He really could not afford to be out of touch, even for the short trip from his transport to his new flagship.

"You have the latest updates?"

"Yes, sir. We just received a message from Admiral Singh. The last attempt at containment has failed. He will withdraw his Marines from the surface and proceed with his mission. All quarantine procedures have been followed. There were several breaches, but they were neutralized."

"Neutralized, right." Admiral Hackett scowled. _Such a nice, neutral phrase for a Marine emptying his assault rifle into a civilian. But it had to be done._ "Very well."

Hackett turned his chair around and stared out of the window to look out over the command he was about to assume. Fifth Fleet was all around them, even though most of its units were too far away to see with the naked eye. Six fleet carriers and over thirty destroyers, including seven of the new large destroyers, or 'battlecruisers' as most people now referred to them. Twelve frigates that ceaselessly patrolled throughout the system. Beyond them, the independent Sixty-Third Scout Flotilla with its four destroyers and eight frigates to act as a long-range reconnaissance and interdiction force. And that failed to account for the dozen or so frigates that were stationed in the surrounding star systems as well as the swarm of Rapid Deployment Vessels, each carrying an elite platoon of Marines in case there was a need for ground combat. It was a massive accumulation of firepower, stronger than Admiral Dresscher's Second Fleet had been at Shanxi or even at Relay 288; stronger, in fact, than any force humanity had ever produced in its entire history; stronger in fact than the entire navies of the Volus, Hanar, and Elcor -and probably the Batarian Hegemony- combined.  
And then there was Everest. He could see her now, growing larger as the shuttle approached. She was enormous, a solid dark mass blotting out the stars as it filled the window. The lead-ship of a new class of warships, the largest combat platforms the USM had ever commissioned, capable of annihilating any opponent with the sole exception of the famous Destiny Ascension and even she would be hard-pressed to fight Everest one-on-one. People had been debating whether to classify them as battleships, dreadnoughts, super-dreadnoughts, or go for a different type of name, with appellations such as monitors and devastators being tossed around. Hackett had even heard someone jokingly refer to these ships as battlestars, though he sincerely hoped that name would not stick. In the end, it didn't matter what one called them. The only thing that mattered was what they could do. _So much power. And all I can do is hope_ _that I won't have to use it._

It had all gone so quickly. The attack on Eden Prime, the mad rush to quarantine the system, the turian fleet moving into the buffer zone. And now it would all come down to the nerves of the commanders in the field. If any of them panicked, there would be no stopping the war. And not just the fleet commanders in the DMZ. His thoughts kept coming back to the two other officers caught up in this unholy mess.  
There was Anderson, the a-political, always reliable, professional soldier with the stalled career that he'd hoped to bolster with the diplomatic assignment on the Citadel. Anderson, who was now trapped in the sort of political swamp that no soldier should ever have to navigate.  
And on the other hand, there was Shepard, the Butcher of Torfan, the rabid attack dog that the USM kept on a leash to fuel the nightmares of aliens. That was another career he'd hoped to salvage. The presence of a turian Spectre on a USM ship had been the perfect excuse to get her out from behind a desk and back in the field and maybe, just maybe, giving her a ship to command would have been enough to put her back on track while the rumours died down. _And then she slaughtered her way across the Citadel, though this time she killed more humans than aliens._ It would have been funny if there weren't so many lives riding on it _._ Now Shepard had slipped her leash. She was somewhere out there, aboard one of the most advanced ships in space, with a multi-species crew, tracking down a Council Spectre; technically the best, but diplomatically the worst person for the job.

Hackett shook his head. There was no point in speculating over what could have been. Things were about to explode and they needed to be ready to deal with any possible fall-out. Literally.

"Make sure communications are monitored on all channels. We can't afford to miss even a single message. And meanwhile, try to say a prayer that the turians stay calm. Because if they don't- well, I think everyone knows what will happen next."

 **-0-0-0-**

 **Feros orbit**

"The geth remain on the planet."

"They are studying the prothean ruins. I suppose it's a chance they've not often had in the past." Saren gestured with one talon, as though sweeping the whole matter away. "It makes no difference. In fact, it may serve our purpose We have what we need. But there must be no survivors. The geth will help accomplish that."

"Of course."

"In any case, it is time for you to go to Noveria. We can no longer delay."

The Matriarch nodded. "I know. Will you accompany me?"

"No!" Saren's voice was sharp. "I must return to the laboratory. These absences..." His voice trailed off. "I must return to her as soon as possible."

"Of course." Benezia understood. To be absent was... painful. It left an emptiness, a wound almost, that could not be healed, except by returning.

 **-0-0-0-**

 **The Presidium, Citadel Station**

This time, all three Councillors had gathered. With new reports from the Hierarchy just arriving, they all wanted to know the latest news.

"The humans are maintaining their positions. No further incursion into the demilitarized zone. Their posture remains defensive. I suspect that they're waiting to see how we respond."

"A good question," Tevos said. "I sometimes wonder about that myself."

"So do I," Sparaus conceded. "But it is cause for optimism. If they were planning an offensive, they would have brought in further reinforcements. Meanwhile, General Victus has reached Degeris and taken command of all available warships. Tomorrow, he will move toward Relay 288 and take up a defensive position there. The first units from Aephus are already underway as well."

"How many in total?" Valern asked.

"Six dreadnoughts, one carrier. Plus supporting units. Additional units are being readied, but that will take up to two weeks. Meanwhile, once Victus is in position, we will once again have parity with local USM forces, including their new ships."

"Until the humans respond. And then we have to send even more ships." Tevos shook her head. "This is dangerous, Sparatus. I understand the Primarch's motivations, but the more ships we send into the DMZ, the more tensions will rise and the greate th chance of a shooting incident."

"I know, but we don't have much of a choice. We cannot just abandon the DMZ to the humans. Fedorian is right about that. And we cannot leave Corinthus unsupported either. All we can do is play things cautiously and hope that the humans will do the same. Meanwhile, we need to talk to ambassador Udina. That should not be a problem now. Nobody will be surprised that we call in the human ambassador for a private meeting in light of the current situation. And we can use the opportunity to inquire a bit more about our other concerns as well. We need more frequent updates on Shepard's activities. The last thing we need is for Saren to make a move, just as we and the humans are staring at each other over the barrels of loaded guns."

"True." Tevos nodded. "If he wants to start a war, this would be the perfect moment. All it would take is one incident and events may spin out of control. Which brings me to another point."  
She looked around. "I've been in contact with Thessia. To explain the situation and appraise our leaders of our change in policy. Reactions are mixed, as one would expect, but more positive than negative. I think the appearance of these new human ships has shaken them. They're finally beginning to realize how fragile our current peace really is. Almost everyone agrees that the Alliance of United Systems needs to be brought fully into the Citadel. As to the price we may have to pay for that, well, that's a tougher issue, but in general, they understand that there will have to be major concessions.  
Meanwhile, the Republics have consented to deploy a small fleet toward the DMZ. One dreadnought and a handful of cruisers. Not enough to change the balance of power, but enough that we can present the humans with a multi-species task-force, instead of a Hierarchy fleet."

"You think that would improve matters?" Sparatus seemed sceptical.

"With humans, who can tell? Their experience with Hierarchy fleets in that region of space has not been positive, whereas their last meeting with a multi-species force went a lot better. Then again, they may feel that we're ganging up on them. That's why I would suggest that we don't send these ships in, yet. Let's keep them inside Citadel Space, but ready to deploy if we think it would help. I would suggest the same for the Salarian Union, should they send any forces. And, for everybody's sake, Valern, please keep the STG away from human systems, especially Eden Prime. This is not the moment to test anybody's patience.

"Will speak to them. Will be in contact in any case." Valern was clearly upset, to the point where his speech slipped into the staccato rhythm set by his species' thought patterns, rather than the deliberate speech most salarians used when communicating with other species. "After Shepard's departure, I spoke to STG, set investigation in motion. Received results. Most troubling." He shook his head, clearly trying to arrange his thoughts before continuing.

"Well?" Tevos looked inquiringly.

"They found evidence of links to Saren within STG. Used Spectre status to authorize project. Funding sources unknown, but likely linked to holdings on Noveria. His own or Benezia's or both. STG agents accepted Spectre authorization, started project, hidden even from STG command."

"And the nature of this project?"

"Unknown. Diversion of personnel and equipment found, traced to Virmire. STG sent in team to investigate but still waiting for them to report. Must act cautiously, cannot alarm Saren at this stage." He looked up. "Equipment was scientific, not military. Indicates research most likely biological. Worrisome."

"Indeed. And we may have to act, and act fast." Sparatus said. "Valern, I know that STG likes to keep things in-house, but we cannot risk it. There may be STG personnel out there working for Saren, still thinking that he is acting for us and we cannot reach out to them without alerting Saren. Give me everything you have on this Virmire site."

"You want to send in turian troops?" Tevos asked.

"Not yet. But we need to have that option. I'll locate the nearest assault force and have them send troops and equipment into a nearby system. When the STG investigators report, we can decide on a course of action without having to wait for reinforcements."

Suddenly, Sparatus omnitool emitted a small buzzing sound. He checked.

"Well, well. I think there may be a perfect opportunity to get things moving on this end. I just received a message from the human embassy. Captain Anderson has requested a meeting. Apparently, he has been tasked to deliver a message pertaining to military affairs. No details, but I think we can all guess what it's about."

 ** **-0-0-0-****

 **USM Normandy, on approach to Feros**

"Any signal?"

"No, Commander. Just an automated landing beacon."

Shepard absentmindedly ran her hand over her new armour while she studied the planet through the cockpit windows. Whether it was Captain Anderson's request, or Lawson and her shadowy organisation, the USM had come through. It had the same kinetic barrier as her old suit, but the armour itself, despite being the same weight was probably about half again as strong on top of being better suited to dealing with the unique aspects of the xenomorph threat, including an extra plexiglass screen over the front of the helmet to protect the vizor and the breathing unit from acid-splash. Combine it with the improved weaponry that ha arrived with the same shipment and she could imagine having quite a bit of fun in the near future. Of course, there was no such thing as a free lunch, and this type of suit was probably at least three or four times as expensive as her old one, which in turn was at least five times the price of the armour Williams had started with.  
She grinned briefly. _No wonder we practically had to clean_ _Williams' drool off that exoskeleton._ _ _As expensive as it is, I c_ annot imagine this stuff ever becoming standard for line units. More's the pity. It could prevent a lot of unnecessary state-sponsored funerals._

"Anything on scanners?"

"Some signals, but not many. Some of them look like what we've seen from the geth, but there is not enough of it to be sure. No ships in orbit or even flying at low altitude as far as we can tell. If there's anything there, it's on the ground and they're doing a good job of maintaining communication discipline."

"I see. Very well, take us in, Moreau." Shepard turned around. "Mr Pressly, you have command. I'll go ground-side as soon as we're docked."

 ** **-0-0-0-****

Shepard made her way toward the hangar bay. The prospective ground team was waiting. Shepard had to stifle a smirk as she saw Williams, fully kitted out with her new favourite toy. She had chosen to use an oldfashioned M56 smartgun, rather than one of the more advanced options. _Cannot beat the classics I suppose. And they do have an impressive amount of firepower._

"All right, everyone. In a few minutes, we'll be arriving at Feros. Now, do be honest I don't have a very clear idea of what's going on here. There is a small colony here, sponsored by the Exogeni Corporation. They're studying the prothean ruins. According to Exogeni, they reported being under attack by robots, presumably geth, then nothing. No further reports, no signals, no nothing. You can make of that what you want. In any case, with no better leads to follow, we'll check it out, which is what those cheapskates at Exogeni corporate headquarters have been asking for."  
Shepard shrugged. "It's an old story. Why pay for your own security when you can get the marines to do it for you at taxpayers' expense? Speaking of which, even though they've been bothering the government to check up on their little colony, the place was not completely undefended. According to the records I received a sizeable fraction of the colonists actually work for Exogeni's security force. Something to keep in mind. If there are survivors, they may well be armed and are probably at least a little nervous. Try not to get yourself shot."

"Any reason why they would come here?" Alenko asked. "I mean, as opposed to other places with prothean ruins."

"Not really. I checked the Exogeni data to see if there was something special about the place, but nothing stands out. It has a lot of ruins, more so than usual, but from everything I could see, the pickings have been rather slim. Feros seems to have been a major prothean population centre, maybe an administrative hub, considering the number of buildings, but there doesn't seem to be much of actual use. Either the place has been picked clean by others, or there was never that much of interest to begin with. Think about it, if you want to find cutting edge human stuff, picking through suburban homes or office spaces is probably not the best strategy and that's basically what Exogeni is doing. I get the feeling that they went to Feros simply because it was there. If they find something, great, if they don't, well, they can afford it and just by being here they're staking a claim on the planet, just in case anybody else shows up.  
As for why the geth came here, I've said it before and I'll say it again, I don't have a flashlight for a head, so don't ask me to try and think like a geth. It's just not going to work. Anyway, there is really no telling what is going on, so we'll just have to figure things out as we go. However, considering that there is a good chance of encountering either geth, xenomorphs or both, I strongly recommend that you all go in fully armed, and don't let your guard down. Fighting in an urban environment is about as ugly as things can get Fortunately, we've received a lot of toys to play with."  
Shepard lifted her assault rifle. "This one you've all seen before. Draco Double Burner, the new standard weapon for the USM forces. Here's the thing. It's not actually a weapon, so much as a framework."  
She walked over to the workbench and picked up what looked like only half a rifle, including a shoulder stock, pistol grip and trigger, but no barrel.  
"This is the basic frame. Depending on what you're planning to do, you attach the weapon systems. Now, in standard configuration, the way the Marines normally use it, it has two barrels. On top, it's a high powered semi-automatic rifle. The bottom is a full-automatic carbine. It's supposed to deal with all the enemies we normally encounter. A full-auto, low-power weapon to take down shields and soft targets and a high-velocity gun to breach armour and for long-range fire. Both of them chemically powered because, well, a whole lot of reasons, some of which are actually practical and others just a matter of tradition.  
But it doesn't have to be that way. If you prefer mass-effect based weapons, there are eezo-based counterparts for both. They're a lot more expensive of course, and you have the inevitable overheating issue, but if you think it's worthwhile, that's what you get. Alternatively, you can replace the lower section with a repeater U1 grenade launcher., the same one we had on the old Pulserifle. Or if you want to go high-tech, you can switch out the top barrel for the same grenade launcher we used to carry on the Lacrimae. And finally, there is this:"  
Shepard put the frame down and picked up a second weapon. It started with the same frame but the top half had been filled up with a large cylinder and the lower part sported a short barrel. "Flame thrower. Fuel in the top slot, the burner in the bottom. Strictly short-ranged and the fuel supply is limited, but it can be useful if you need to clear out a building. To be honest, I think they built this just to prove that they could, rather than as a serious option, but we received a bunch of these kits with our supply shipment. They may not be much use against geth unless you can set their lubricant on fire or something, but if there are xenomorphs out there, this suddenly becomes an effective option. According to the old reports, fire is one of the few things that will effectively deter them. Plus, if you don't shoot holes in them, you don't have acid spraying all over the place, though of course, you run the risk of setting the place on fire. We have enough equipment for half a dozen flamethrowers. Keep it in mind, and if you think you need one, come and get it."

"Eh, Shepard, that may work for humans, and for Dr T'Soni, but I don't think that trigger mechanism will be much good for the rest of us." Garrus lifted his hand, showing the three large digits, none of which could ever fit through the trigger guard of the human rifle.

Shepard grinned. "Way ahead of you." She twisted the underside of the pistol grip, which came off and pulled several items out. A second move and the trigger guard came off. Within seconds, the small trigger had been replaced with one that covered the entire front of the pistol grip. "A special option so that you can use this while wearing heavy gloves. We call it a cold-weather trigger, though these days it's more for heavy environmental suits. Plays hell with accuracy, but for a flamethrower that isn't much of a concern."

She handed the weapon to Garrus, who curved his talon's around the pistol grip. It was a bit awkward, but he could use it. "I guess I cannot try it out in here?"

"Eh, no. If you want to start a fire, do it groundside." Shepard stop talking as she felt Normandy decelerate. "Speaking of which, I believe we're about to arrive."

 ** **-0-0-0-****

 **Feros**

"Welcome to Feros, everyone. Please keep en eye out. I don't want to be taken by surprise."

Normandy had docked half inside a ruined building in what presumably had been a landing spot in prothean times. Shepard looked around with considerable interest. Her only real experience with prothean ruins had been on Therum, but although the buildings there had been quite impressive, they were like nothing compared to what she was looking at now. The building they had attached themselves to, and which presumably hosted the Exogeni colony was huge, big enough to dwarf Normandy and when she looked out from the docking bay they seemed to be surrounded by similar buildings, the ruins of a city-scape so massive it dwarfed anything humans had ever built.

"Got to hand it to the protheans. They knew how to build stuff."

Neither of her companions answered. Shepard had chosen to go in with a purely human combat team. If Exogeni's security troops were on edge, aliens walking in through the doors could be enough to set them off and lead to an unpleasant incident, so the non-human part of her ground team remained at the airlock, which allowed them to guard the entrance to the ship and, at the same time, kept them close enough that they could provide assistance if Shepard ran into trouble.

"Commander, we have movement," Jin, who had moved ahead, said softly.

"How many?"

"Only one that I can see. Human. But there are at least three more on the scanner."

"Hold position." Shepard turned around. "Alenko, any electronic noise?"

"Yes, Commander. There's radio communications. And I think I just got the backscatter from a laser-"

"Shepard!" Tali Zorah's voice cut through the conversation. "Geth signals. Multiple sources."

"Damn." Shepard checked her own motion tracker. Another advantage of the new armour was that the motion sensor was no longer attached to your rifle. Instead, the sensor was mounted on the side of the helmet and the data was projected on the inside of the face-cover; a small convenience, but useful because it allowed the wearer to use their sensors without swinging a weapon around. From her position, she could see no movement, but that meant little. Never the most precise instruments, the motion trackers became increasingly unreliable in tight space with lots of obstacles that could reflect the ultrasound waves. "You heard the lady. Move up people, but be careful."

The squad advanced, cautiously, along the dock and joined up with Jin.

"Over there, ma'am."

Shepard followed his gaze. A single human in coveralls bearing the Exogeni logo stood at the end of the dock, staring at Normandy. He seemed to be oblivious to their presence. Behind him, as yet invisible, she was now tracking multiple movement sources.

"What does he think he's doing?" Shepard shook her head. It was a pointless question. "Never mind. Let's go introduce ourselves."

They moved forward, approaching the lone figure. It took long, much longer than normal before he noticed them.

"Who are- Humans! Is this, is this your ship?"

 _No, I flew all the way from Earth under my own power._ "Yeah, yes, it is. Commander Shepard USM. I take it, the Exogeni colony is nearby?"

"Yes, yes, of course, it's back there." The man waved with one hand, in the general direction behind him. His reactions were slow, almost like he was under the influence of something. In fact, Shepard realized, that was a distinct possibility and it would explain a lot. If the colony had been under attack for a lengthy period of time, the man might have been taking stimulants to stay awake. There was a variety of such combat-cocktails on the marked, both legal and illegal, and they would keep him alert for a while. But in the end, they turned people into slow-moving and slow-thinking automatons.

"Thank God you're here," The man's brain seemed to be slowly catching up with events. "We've been under-"

A cracking sound and blood spurted from his chest as he fell. Shepard threw herself aside behind a crate, the rest of her team was already in motion, diving for cover. Behind the corpse of the colonist, multiple geth platforms were moving into view.

"Take them out!"

Gunfire erupted from all along the dock. The first geth platform was ripped apart by at least a dozen bullets but the others kept coming. Behind her, Shepard could hear the characteristic roar of a smartgun as Williams opened fire, spraying bullets all over the enemy. _Well, I guess someone's having fun._ A second geth went down, a third. The last, bigger than the others, stood his ground and returned fire but it was hopelessly outmatched. Its shields were stripped away in seconds. Shepard switched to her high calibre rifle and in short order put three armour-piercing rounds through its head. The machine collapsed.

As suddenly as it had started, the fight was over.

"So much for that." Shepard checked the body of the colonist, but it was clear at a glance that nothing could be done for him. She looked around the dock. There was only one visible entrance, which made things a bit easier.

"Vakarian?"

"Yes, Commander?"

"You and the others, move forward. I need you to secure the entire dock, not just the airlock. Remember what we saw on Therum. If any of these geth carry rocket launchers, I don't want them to get a shot at Normandy. Not as long as she's docked and her shields are down."

"Consider it done."

From the corner of her eye, Shepard could see her improvised multi-species combat team moving out of the airlock and along the dock. Not an ideal guarding force for a USM warship, perhaps, but it would have to do.

"The rest of you, follow me. Let's go find ourselves some colonists."

 ** **-0-0-0-****

 **Presidium Tower, The Citadel**

"Captain Anderson, I understand you have a message for us."

"Yes, Councillor." Anderson held out the datapad, which Sparatus accepted without looking.

"And the nature of this message?"

"Councillor, as military liaison for the Alliance of United Systems, it is my duty under the conditions of the modified Treaty of Farixen to inform the Council that the United Systems Military are currently in possession of five ships that qualify as dreadnoughts as specified in the treaty."

"I see." Sparatus nodded stiffly. "I see, indeed. What precisely is the nature of these ships?"

"They are more than eight-hundred meters long and equipped with spinal mass accelerators. Therefore they qualify as dreadnoughts as specified by the treaty."

"Right. And you say that you currently have five of them in service? Tell me, Captain, why is it that we were never informed when you had four, or three? Did these five ships enter service at exactly the same time?"

"That is correct, Councillor," Anderson said. "They are of a new class and therefore needed extensive testing. By the time the trials were finished, our shipyards had completed five ships. Therefore, they entered service simultaneously."

"Interesting. And how many of these ships do the United Systems Military plan to acquire?"

Anderson kept his face impassive. "The United Systems Military will acquire as many ships as they deems necessary to fulfil their obligations, Councillor. Within the limits set out in the treaty, of course."

"Of course. Thank you, Captain, for the information. Please inform Ambassador Udina, that we would like to confer with him -on this subject and others- at the earliest opportunity."

"As you wish, Councillor." Anderson turned around and strode from the room.

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 **A/N:**

 _You may be cool, but you'll never be as cool as Captain Anderson staring down the turian Councillor._

 _If you live in the ME universe and you want help breeding xenomorphs, who would you talk to? Oh wait, there are a whole species of mad scientist types ready to assist._ **  
**

 _In Alien: Resurrection, there was a Draco that worked as a flame thrower. So, why not? It's going to be rather wimpy compared to a real-life flamethrower, but the same was true for all flamethrowers in the Alien-verse.  
_


	30. Under siege

**I don't own either AvP or ME**

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 **Presidium Tower, the Citadel**

"This is... very interesting, Councillor. Very interesting indeed. And I understand your concerns over the current situation around Eden Prime, of course. But I'm not sure whether what you suggest is even possible."

Ambassador Udina leaned back in his chair, savouring the moment. For years he'd had to play the game, sometimes cow-towing to the aliens, sometimes pounding his chest and mouthing off, all for the sake of maintaining the delicate balance that had been in place since the end of the war. And now, now it seemed as though his efforts were about to bear fruit, even more so than he had ever imagined, especially if the asari sitting across from him actually meant what she was hinting at.

"For one thing, I cannot imagine that the various associate species would be happy to hear of the kind of arrangement you seem to be suggesting. Though, I'm sure, that you are better able to judge that. But on my side, there is the problem of the legal situation. To put it bluntly, when the General Assembly of the United Systems was first formed, no-one thought of the possibility that it would ever have to delegate authority to a higher authority, because, naturally there was no such authority. So, naturally there are no provisions for such a move. "

"Are you saying that it is impossible?" Councillor Tevos's face remained a carefully schooled mask, but Udina thought that he could see something of the tension she must have been feeling.

"Impossible, no. It's not so much that it's not allowed, as that there is simply no procedure for it. It's an old legal problem: Do the members of a government have the right to take any action that effectively reduces the autonomy of the state? Or is such a move inherently treasonous? Many nation-states in our history have had to face that problem as they felt the need for closer cooperation, and therefore the need for super-governmental organisations to enable such cooperation. Historically, this process has occurred many times, though often in the face of considerable resistance. So, in that respect, I would be cautiously optimistic. However, there is also an emotional aspect to be considered. Many of our leadership would welcome your offer, I'm sure, but in the end, they are answerable to the voters, many of whom would take a dim view of increasing our ties with any non-human government. Relationships between our peoples have improved, of course, but a considerable amount of resentment remains; as well as outright xenophobia, I'm sorry to say. These will have to be won over, or at the very least reassured of your good intentions. Otherwise, our leadership will be forced to reject your proposals for fear of being voted out of office."

"Of course, Ambassador. I fully understand that. Which is why I approached you at an early stage. If this plan is to succeed we will have to lay the groundwork very carefully and the sooner we start, the better it would be. I cannot imagine that the rising tensions in the demilitarized zone would be beneficial to such a process."

"Probably not, " Udina conceded. "Though, it might be made to work your favour. After all, if we were to join the Citadel, it would put an end to the threat of renewed war. And that is something many of us would appreciate. Still, we have to move cautiously. No matter the form that our new relationship takes, it must not be seen as a surrender to turian pressure."

"Naturally. But I'm sure we can find a way to mitigate those concerns." The asari smiled briefly. "In any case, I would be most grateful if you could reach out to those members of your government that might respond positively to our suggestions. Meanwhile, I was hoping that you could give us an update on your Commander Shepard's movements. The issue of Saren needs to be addressed as soon as possible and it would help if we had a better understanding of the current state of affairs."

 **-0-0-0-**

 **Feros**

"Another sniper, two floors up."

"Got it."

A roar of gunfire, a hail of bullets, and the mangled remains of a geth sniper unit came tumbling down.

"We're getting better at this," Shepard remarked. "Either that or this bunch of geth just plain sucks at urban combat."

"Perhaps a bit of both," Alenko said. "Perhaps this bunch wasn't all that smart to begin with. On top of that, our sensors have become easier to use, and the extra fire-power certainly helps. Smartguns were made for this sort of thing"

"Please don't let Williams hear you. I'm already pretty sure she won't be able to sleep tonight unless we prop that M56 up in a corner next to her. Let's not push it to the point where we'll have to tuck her in with it."

"Right."

They continued down along the stairs, which were covered with fallen debris. It seemed that the prothean elevator that was supposed to connect the docking area with the rest of the building was no longer functioning. The colonists had not bothered installing an elevator of their own and simply used the shaft to put in some spiral stairs, as well as a hoist to get cargo down to their living area.

"Commander, I think we're getting close."

"Yes, Jin?"

"Down there, two broken-down geth, and they weren't ours. Someone else has been doing some shooting."

"Good for them. Look sharp. If the colonists are still there, they must have heard the noise we're making. Let's not have any accidents. Alenko, anything on the drones?"

"Not yet, ma'am, I'll bring one down to the end of the stairs and start snooping."

The small sphere slipped past them, continuing down the stairs and past Jin until it reached the bottom, where it disappeared from view.

"Nothing..., nothing..., Found it!"

"Do you have visual?"

"No ma'am, but I've got power signatures. Definitely human tech." Alenko worked the controls. "Infrared images... I have movement. There is definitely someone alive down there."

"Good." Shepard checked the surroundings. There was no further sign of geth snipers, but that didn't mean much. "Jin, continue down the stairs, then wait for us. We'll go in together."

Without further interruptions by the geth, it only took a few minutes for the whole team to reach the bottom of the stairs.

Shepard looked around. There was only one exit.

"Hey! Anyone! This is the United Systems Military! Check your weapons and don't fire!"

There was a moment of silence, then a voice answered.

"Come forward. Slowly!"

Shepard walked toward the doorway, careful to keep her hands in plain view and away from her rifle. Half a dozen men and women were clustered near the entrance, assault rifles at the ready. Shepard noted that only two of them wore armour, with the rest in coveralls. An autonomous weapon mount stood nearby, positioned reasonably well, but clearly shut down. behind the makeshift barricade that blocked the entrance, she could see several prefab buildings, as well as a small spaceship that had somehow been lowered into the building.

"Who are you?"

She turned toward the speaker. "Shepard, United Systems Military. Now, what the hell is going on around here?"

There was a momentary pause.

"The geth- They have been attacking us."

"For how long?"

Another pause.

"About a week now... I think." the Exogeni employee looked up, his voice became clearer. "But you should talk to Fai Dan. He is our leader."

Shepard's eyebrows rose slightly. "Right. And where can I find this Fai Dan?"

 ** **-0-0-0-****

As they walked through the colony, Shepard studied the place. Clearly,it had suffered quite a bit in the recent attacks. There were signs of battle-damage everywhere as well as some -rather desultory- attempts at repairing it. Most of the prefabs were barely habitable and the spaceship she had spotted earlier was now in use as a makeshift barracks/field hospital, apparently with the full consent of its salarian owner, something that gave Shepard momentary pause.

"At least one non-human has set up shop here and it doesn't seem to be a problem. That makes life easier. Alenko, we're going to make some assignment changes. Take Williams and Estanza and return to Normandy. Then send our, eh, multispecies support group forward. All due respect to our alien friends, but when push comes to shove, I want you in charge of defending the ship."

"Yes, Ma'am."

"And, Alenko, don't let any of these colonists on board before I give the go-ahead. There is something here..." Shepard hesitated. "Something is off. I don't know what, but let's err on the side of caution, at least for now."

"Understood." Alenko thought for a moment. "Commander, shall I send Dr Chakwas over as well to help with the wounded?"

"No, " Shepard shook her head. "Not as long as the geth are crawling around. We cannot risk Chakwas in a combat zone. If we need to provide additional medical assistance, we'll take the wounded on board."

"Yes, ma'am."

Shepard watched briefly as Alenko walked away. Then she shook her head. Like she had said, there was something wrong here. She just needed to figure out what it was.

 ** **-0-0-0-****

Fai Dan, as it turned out had set up shop at the other end of the colony settlement, where the colonists had set up another barricade.

"Finally!" That cam from the woman standing next to Fai Dan.

"Finally what?"

"Do you have any idea how long we have been waiting for reinforcements?"

"About a week, according to the people I just talked to. That's the reality of interstellar travel, Ms...?"

"Please!" The man who had to be Fai Dan spoke up. "Let us not fight each other. My name is Fai Dan. I've been chosen to lead these people. Welcome to Zhu's Hope, Commander...?

"Shepard."

"Right. And this is Arcelia Martinez, who is in charge of our security. I'm afraid you'll have to forgive us, Commander. The last few days have been... trying."

"Trying. Right." Martinez snorted. "That's one way to put it. I was sent here to keep the kids from writing graffiti on the walls. Not to fight against geth."

"Well, if that's the only problem, I think I can fix that quickly enough," Shepard said. "Normandy isn't all that big, but we have enough stretch in our life-support systems that we can accommodate the lot of you. Say the word, and we can have this entire colony evacuated within the hour."

"No!" Fai Dan checked himself, as though he was ashamed of his outburst. "No, Commander. We cannot leave. You see, this is our home now. We're building a new life here."

"A new life?" Shepard looked around. "I see. You do realize that if you get overrun by the geth, your 'life' will be a pretty short one, right?"

"isn't that were you come in?" Martinez was at it again. "The United Systems Military exists to protect our citizens and-"

"You decided to set up a colony outside the boundaries of the United Systems, Ms Martinez. You should be grateful we responded at all."

"We have assurance from Exogeni-"

"What Exogeni Corporation does is their business," Shepard was rapidly getting fed up with this conversation. "What the United Systems Military does is something else entirely. We live today, not a hundred years ago."

"We understand, Commander." While he didn't seem to be the smartest tool in the shed, at least Fai Dan displayed some people skills. "We really do. But we have put a lot of work in this place. We cannot just pack up and leave."

Shepard was about to respond when a shout came from the barricade. "They're back!" Then there was the sound of gunfire.

"Let me guess: more geth?"

"They're coming in through a gap in the roof," Martinez said shortly. "They've set up some sort of jamming gear, so we get no advance warning."

"Right, Jin, get on that barricade." Shepard checked her helmet display. With Alenko and two of her marines gone, she was not about to launch an attack on an unknown number of geth, but it seemed the situation was about to improve. Her non-human support team was already inside the colony.

"Vakarian,"

The turian's voice came back through the commlink. "Yes, Commander?"

"Any sign of an attack on your end of the colony?"

"None, but we can hear the gunfire from your side. Do you need us?"

"Oh, yes. Apparently, this has been a regular occurrence. I think it's time we put an end to it."

"Understood, we're on our way."

"Good." Shepard looked at Fai Dan, who had taken cover. "We're going to continue this conversation later. Now, I need to go and dismantle some robots."

 ** **-0-0-0-****

 _This bunch really seems to be pretty dumb._ Even without the support of Williams' smartgun, the team did well. Either the geth had some overriding reason to get into the colony as quickly as possible, or they figured they had so many platforms in reserve that it didn't matter how many they lost. Either way, they were pushing hard, too hard. The first geth to come down the stairs was cut down by gunfire, the second never even made it down the stairs. Two more were cut down at the top as soon as they appeared.

"Wrex, take point. Let's clear this place out."

"Sure."

The krogan moved quickly, shotgun at the ready, but there were not more geth platforms. They reached the landing.

"Heavy jamming." Tali looked up. "Far more than normal. I cannot get any kind of reading. It's not just the platforms. There is something else in there as well."

"Not for long." Shepard risked a glance into the room, then jumped back. "No sign of movement, but Fai Dan was right, the roof is open and there is a geth ship hovering above us. They can drop additional troops straight into the building." She checked her map. "Okay, we don't know how many of those geth have gotten further down into the tunnels, but if I were them, I'd definitely get a fireteam down there to lay in ambush, so let's exercise a little caution. Jin, stay here and keep our line of retreat open. T'Soni, stay with him. Everyone else, with me. Let's shut down whatever it is. I don't like it when people interfere with my sensors."

She turned the corner, advancing into the room. "Nothing on the motion scanners. Spread out, and keep an eye on that open ceiling-"

Before she finished her sentence, two, three small drones dropped down into the room. Shepard fired a quick burst, plucking one of the drones out of the air, a cracking noise from Garus's sniper rifle indicated the death of the second. The third dropped down behind a fallen piece of masonry.

"Push it." Shepard moved forward, trying to get an angle. Shots rang out from further back in the room and she dropped flat as at least one round hit her barrier. "Contact."

She rolled to the side and into cover as gunfire flashed back and forth. The drone popped up again, only to be swatted out of the sky by a shotgun blast. Two more geth platforms dropped down from the ceiling and, looking up, Shepard could make out the shape of a dropship hovering over the building. She fired a few shots into the open drop bay, more on general principle than in the hope of achieving anything. Still, it must have made some sort of impression as the ship rose, moving out of reach.

More gunfire erupted as geth and organics clashed in the middle of the room. A biotic shock wave sent one of the geth flying, the second was ripped apart by concentrated gunfire. Shepard ducked behind a piece of stone that looked like ti had been part of the ceiling and pulled out a grenade. One of the advantages of the new grenade launchers was that, once again, the grenades they launched could double as hand grenades. Useful in situations where the launcher was simply unnecessary. Checking her sensors to make sure none of her team were inside the blast-radius, she lobbed the grenade into the back of the room.  
As soon as the explosion sounded, she moved out of cover, ready to fire, but there was no need. All the geth had been disposed of.

"Alright, where's that jammer? I want it shut down before they come back for another drop."

"Back here." Tali was already moving toward a piece of machinery that was standing a little off to the side. "No problem. All I need to do..."

She pulled open an access panel. "Do you want any of this thing intact."

Shepard snorted. "Not particularly."

"That makes it easy." The quarian levelled her shotgun and fire directly into the opening. "That should do it."

"Good." Shepard looked around. "A pity we have no easy way to fix the roof, but I'm not going stand around and at play construction with geth platform dropping down on top of me. With the jammer down, those fools downstairs should get enough warning if the geth come back. If that isn't enough..." She shrugged. "Meanwhile, we're going back to Zhu's Hope or whatever they call this place. I have a lot of questions that need answers."

 ** **-0-0-0-****

 **Feros**

"Okay, if one more person tells me that I have to talk to 'Fai Dan, who is our leader', I will not be held responsible for the consequences. Either to that individual or to Fai Dan."

Shepard shook her head in frustration. It had been hours, wasted hours. They had been all over Zhu's Hope, such as it was, talked to everybody, and they were no closer to finding out what was going on. It had been an interesting experience. Clearly, the colony was in trouble. Everyone agreed on that, from its leader, Fai Dan, to the salarian merchant who, for some reason, had thought that trading with human colonies in the Attican Traverse was a smart business move and been caught in the geth attack, By now, his ship was no longer operable and had been converted into a makeshift habitat. Strangely enough, he seemed fine with that fact and appeared to see himself more as a member of the colony than a visitor.

That was not the only strange thing. The colony was barely surviving. Half the colonists were guarding the entrances while the rest were busy making repairs to its infrastructure, such as it was. The water supply was down and the power grid was fluctuating, which in turn mean that the autonomous weapon stations that were supposed to protect the colony could not be used properly. It was a mess. Meanwhile, the geth had launched repeated assaults, at one time fighting their way into the colony. Numerous colonists had already lost their lives, others were injured and medical supplies were running low. On top of that, the infrastructure was falling apart. Somehow the geth had been able to shut down the water and the power was fluctuating so badly that they'd had to shut down their automated sentry guns in order to reduce the strain on the system. But, no matter how many times that was pointed out to them, they refused to budge. And any questions regarding the future were always met with the simple statement that such questions had to be addressed to Fai Dan. Except that Fai Dan did not seem to have any answers, other than that Zhu's Hope was home and they could not leave.  
 _They're fighting a losing battle and over what?_ _A couple of prefab buildings inside an empty prothean ruin. Why bother?_ Shepard's first thought had been to simply evacuate the colony. Normandy had enough excess life-support that they could carry the entire population -about a score of people- to safety. But Fai Dan would not hear of it, and neither would the rest of the colonists. It was not that they denied the danger, it just did not seem to make an emotional impact. The only thing that mattered to them was the colony, which they insisted they would stay in, irrespective of what happened.

"I take it that this is not normal human behaviour under stress," Garrus asked.

"No. If these people were normal, they would A) Be loudly complaining about their fate, complete with shouting matches. B) Blame whoever was in charge, instead of referring us to him, and/or C) Be convinced that it was all some conspiracy by Exogeni Corporation to get them all killed. Unless, of course, they blamed it all on the United Systems because, well, why not?  
Humans are quarrelsome under the best of circumstances and, for most of us, stress does not make us stoic. Facing a common enemy can help keep us united, but not forever. By now, after more than a week of constant attacks, they should be at each other's throats. At least half would want to leave, with the other half calling them cowards. The only one that acts remotely normal is Martinez, and even her response is pretty tepid. Besides, there is no continuation. She flares up, but then it just disappears. At first, I thought they were on drugs, that they'd been taking stimulants to stay awake. I still suspect at least some of them did but that would not have such a uniform effect. Besides, where would they get all that stuff? The security people probably carried some stims but you'd need a lot of pills to get this many people this spaced out.  
None of this makes sense. These people are behaving like they're part of some fringe doomsday-cult rather than an exploration-oriented colony." Shepard shook her head. "And then there is 'our leader Fai Dan' himself, apparently just as stoned as the rest, who keeps telling me how this place is home and that they're building a new life here. That's what seems to be uniting these people. But have you looked around?"

"Hah," Wrex snorted. "Doesn't look like the place is worth a shit!"

Garrus nodded. "Not much of a colony, I agree. It's more like a campsite. And that makes no sense either. They say they'd been here for months before the geth attacked, but I don't see any signs of it. They just picked a spot in this ruin, rigged up power and water and left it at that. Getting the basics done could not have taken more than a week or two. What have they been doing since? It's as though they just sat down and waited."

"Good question. And all these questions and more will _not_ be answered by these colonists or 'their leader, Fai Dan'. I think it's time we looked a bit further afield."

"You want to go after the geth?"

"The geth, maybe, but mostly that Exogeni Science team they mentioned. I don't expect to find any of them alive. I mean, the geth landed on top of them, but we may find out what's been happening. A record of activities, anything really."

That was the one useful piece of information they had obtained from Fai Dan. The colony of Shu's Hope was only part of the Exogeni effort. It had been set up to serve as a support base near the landing zone from which the actual researchers would be able to operate. A single science team was currently operating somewhere in the nearby ruins. Or, at least, they had been when the geth arrived. Since then, all communications had been lost. That was not too surprising considering the interference of the buildings themselves and the geth's habit of jamming communications. Unfortunately, there were indications that a geth ship had landed on, or nearby, the building they had chosen, which made it likely that the scientists and their security force were dead.

"So, how do we get there?"

"According to 'Fai Dan, who is our leader', there is a half-collapsed skyway that connects the building to the research-site and they have a couple of vehicles in their garage. I'm not entirely sure why the protheans didn't build their roads on the ground, like sane people, and I certainly don't like the sound of 'half-collapsed', but it seems to be the most practical way of getting there. I'd rather not manoeuvre Normandy around at low altitude among buildings that are about to fall apart, especially with geth ships in the neighbourhood."

"What about the colony?" Wrex asked. "These idiots aren't going to last much longer. And they won't leave either. Unless you want to drive them into the ship at gunpoint?" he sounded almost hopeful.

"No, my authority to do something like that is doubtful at best, especially out here, beyond our borders. Besides, I cannot spare the manpower to keep them under control. I'll take only a small squad and leave the rest of the team behind. Alenko will be in command. But no risks. If they can hold the colony fine, but we're not going to throw away lives for people too that are too dumb, or stoned, or whatever, to see what's in front of them. Meanwhile, perhaps we can help get the water and the power back up. Dehydration is a major problem for humans and I certainly want those automated guns back up. Speaking of which," Shepard activated her communicator. "Alenko?"

"Ma'am."

"Any movement on the docks?"

"Nothing."

"Good. Lieutenant, we got a couple of those autonomous sentry guns in storage. I want you to set them up on the docks. Run the power from Normandy. Whatever happens, we need to keep our line of retreat open."

"Yes, ma'am. Consider it done." "

Good, once you're done with that, move a bit forward, so you can keep an eye on Zhu's Hope as well. I'll be moving out shortly to go after that science team, or whatever is left of them. I'll take Jin, Wrex, and T'Soni with me. Vakarian and Zorah will stay here, both to help out with the colony defence and to help with the engineering problems that are popping up all over the colony."

Shepard closed her comm unit and turned back to her companions. "Well, you heard. Those of you that stay here, try to keep this colony up and running and free of geth as long as possible. I hope to come back with some answers so I can decide what to do next. But don't take too many risks. To put it bluntly, other than the location itself, there is nothing here that's worth fighting over, so if the pressure becomes too strong, fall back on Normandy. I'll leave Lieutenant Alenko some more instructions before I depart, but what it comes down to is this: If the geth break through, Normandy has to get out. Even if it means leaving us down here. As long as the ship is intact, you may be able to come back for us. But if Normandy takes too much damage, or is captured, we're all screwed. So, that's a risk we're not going to take."

Vakarian nodded. "I understand."

"Excellent. Now, let's go down to that garage and see what we've got to work with." She started to move away when Tali's voice called her back. The quarian had moved away from the others, far enough to be out of earshot. Behind the mask, the quarian's face was impossible to see, but Shepard was getting better at reading her body language and she did not appear pleased.

"Yes?"

"I agreed to accompany you because the Council insisted. Because they promised not to penalize my people for the fact that the geth have started to attack other species."

"And because it got you off the Citadel without further delay."

"And that too," Tali conceded. "So, I will advise you on the geth, because I made that promise. And I will assist you in finding Saren. But there are limits, Commander. I'm not a soldier under your command and I did not sign up to do engineering support for human colonies or to help the United Systems in an all-out war against the geth."

"And I did not sign up to command humanity's first multi-species combat experiment, and yet, here I am," Shepard said. "But I get your point. So?"

"So? So, to put it bluntly, Commander, why would I continue to risk my life -considerable risk in my case- crawling through ducts invested with who-knows-what in the middle of a geth attack, rather than doing the minimum required and staying as safe as possible?"

"I take it you have something in mind?"

"I do." She turned away. "I need information. My people need information. Why are the geth doing this? What are they planning? How have they evolved over time? Most of our data is centuries old. Since then, there have been only a handful of encounters by scout parties near the Perseus Veil. We need more. Especially, if the geth continue these attacks. And there is only one way to get it: from the geth themselves. That means I need access. I need the opportunity to study them."

"If you are suggesting that we should bring an intact geth platform onbo-"

"No! Are you insane? That is the last thing I would suggest. But geth datacores can be hacked in the field after they've been destroyed. That's how I obtained the recording of Saren and Benezia. I need to be able to do that again, to gather as much data as I can."

"So do it," Shepard said. "I wouldn't mind having more data on the geth myself. I cannot promise that we'll hang around for hours while you perform vivisection on geth platforms in the field, but we can spare a few minutes. Just let me know."

"Very well. And something else. I need equipment, resources. And I need to be able to work, to use my omnitool when I'm on board Normandy."

"Wait, what? You mean you haven't used that thing?"

"Not outside my room. I'm quarian, remember?" Her voice sounded bitter. "Whenever anything goes wrong and there is a quarian within a kilometre, you can bet who takes the blame. The last thing I need is for one of your crew to see me with an active omnitool and accuse me of spying or sabotage. And don't tell me they wouldn't. I've seen the way they look at me."

"They look that way at anyone who isn't human. Well, except for the men when they see T'Soni. Then it gets more complicated. They don't quite know whether to scowl or drool." Shepard shrugged. "To be honest, I'm a bit surprised there haven't been any incidents yet. If anything, my people have started to relax. Maybe humans have come along further than I thought. Or perhaps military discipline is just a good check on people's behaviour. In any case, don't worry too much about it. You're thinking in terms of the Citadel species with their anti-quarian bias. But to the average human, a quarian with an omnitool is far less of a provocation than a turian with a rifle and they're learning to deal with that as well. As long as you don't try to get into engineering or the command centre, it can be handled. As for equipment, I'll speak to Adams, the chief engineer. He'll know best what we can supply. Fair enough?"

"Yes."

"Good, then let's get to work."

"Of course. And, thank you, Commander."

 **-0-0-0-**

 **Feros**

 _Darkness. Darkness was good. It hid; it protected; it favoured those whose senses were adapted to it. Warmth too, and moisture. That was also good. This place would do well for a nesting place._ **  
**

They did not fully understand how they had come to this world. But that did not matter. They were here, now. What happened before made little difference. If it became important, she would know. Of course, she had not yet been born, but that was also irrelevant. The eggs were ready and there was prey for the newborns to grow in. Soon, she would be born. And then all would be well.

They moved silently through the tunnels, committing them to memory, looking for the safest, best-protected spot. There, the eggs would reside. There were others on this world. Others that would serve as prey but could also be a threat, to the nest, to the eggs, even to her. And there was something else as well. Motionless, but all-pervading. A presence they did not fully understand. That was worrisome. But they did not worry too much. once she was born, she would know what to do. She always did.

 **!-!-!-** ** **!-!-!-**** ** **!-!-!-**** ** **!-!-!-**** ** **!-!-!-**** ** **!-!-!-**** ** **!-!-!-**** ** **!-!-!-**** ** **!-!-!-**** ** **!-!-!-**** ** **!-!-!-**** ** **!-!-!-**** ** **!-!-!-**** ** **!-!-!-**** ** **!-!-!-****

 **A/N:** _I'm trying to continue writing Tali as a bit older and more mature than she was in ME1. Also, I've largely ignored the whole 'pilgrimage' thing. While it makes for an interesting story hook, it seems very impractical. They turn teenagers loose into a galaxy that's by and large hostile to them, with the goal that they not only keep themselves alive but earn enough to bring back that 'gift' and be able to pay for transport back to the migrant fleet. (Is someone arranging cheap charter flights?) I shudder to think how many corpses of quarians, barely more than children, are lying all over the galaxy, (together with expensive suits and other equipment that the migrant fleet can ill afford to lose!).  
Instead, I imagine a situation where young quarians are used as crew aboard transport ships, traders, scouts, etc. That gives them the opportunity to interact with the rest of the galaxy, without cutting them off from support. Groups of adult quarians might also travel around and take jobs on deepspace construction projects (Like the engineer in the 'The sky is falling DLC' described), which could be a good way to earn credits. In fact, technical skills could (and should!) be one of the Migrant Fleet's main export products._  
 _Tali is now more or less in that position, but it's not unreasonable that she wants something in return for her efforts._


	31. Harsh measures

**I don't own either AvP or ME**

 **!-!-!-!-!-** ** **!-!-!-!-!-**** **!-!-!-!-!-** **!-!-!-!-!-** **!-!-!-!-!-** **!-!-!-!-!-** **!-!-!-!-!-** **!-!-!-!-!-** **!-!-!-!-!-** **!-!-!-!-!-** **!-!-!-!-!-**

 **USM Victory, flagship 3rd fleet, Eden Prime, high orbit.**

"All shuttles on board?"

"Yes, Admiral."

"Has everyone been accounted for?"

"Yes, sir. Both our troops and the civilians. Everyone we could reach has been embarked."

"Good." Admiral Singh stared at the datapad, checking the numbers one more time. S _o many dead, so many missing. And that's in one city on a new colony world. If this were to happen on Shanxi, or, God-_ forbid _, Earth-_ "

Even now he had trouble understanding it. Humanity had all the advantages. They had the weapons, the tools. They could move faster and kill at a distance. Eradicating the xenomorph infestation should have been a simple exercise in pest-control. Except that it was not. Initially, things had gone well. The marines had landed and established a perimeter around the spaceport. Within that perimeter, no xenomorph lived. Then they expanded outward, going from building to building clearing them out.  
But there were no xenomorphs. They were nowhere to be seen. The marines moved on, they checked everywhere, the tension increasing as they expected hostile contact at any turn.  
Then the first report came in. A marine patrol, four men strong, had been moving through the main sewer. They had reported movement on their motiontrackers, then contact had been lost. A second patrol went in after them but found nothing.  
Additional units entered the sewers. Again, they saw movement. This time they were prepared. When the creatures struck, the marines opened fire. The skirmish lasted for more than an hour and when it was over three more marines were dead, but the creatures had been driven off. More marines converged on the sewer system as it seemed likely that the xenomorphs had built their hive there. It took two more days before the location was found. Meanwhile, a steady stream of civilians, survivors of the geth attack, was moving into the secured area, looking for shelter. Marines and naval personnel set up shelters for them.  
The marines attacked the hive, hoping to bring the infestation to an end. The resulting battle raged for two days. In the tight confines of the sewer system, most of humanity's technological advantages were useless. Xenomorphs would jump out of corners to land among the marines, forcing them not to shoot for fear of harming each other. It was suicide for the xenomorph as well, but they did not seem to care about their own survival as long as they could take a few humans with them. Between the creatures' teeth and claws and the splashes of acid blood, losses mounted rapidly. By the time the queen was dead and the hive had been destroyed, over a hundred marines had been killed and the operation had to be labeled a failure. The hive had multiple exits and examination of the footage from the helmet cameras showed individual xenomorphs fleeing the fight, carrying eggs, clearly intending to set up a new hive elsewhere.

Worse was to come. In the spaceport, one of the civilian refugees collapsed, spitting blood. Before the guards could converge, a chestburster fought its way out of the body and ran off. The marines searched for hours but found nothing. Unfortunately, people's nerves were badly affected by the incident, and another civilian was shot by accident as he made the mistake of approaching one of the marines from behind. It was then that Singh had decided to start to evacuate the refugees to the fleet, reducing the population of the shelters to facilitate the ongoing search. But the process had been difficult. x-ray machines and ultra-sounds had to be set up in the shuttle bays of the ships and everyone had to be checked, causing massive delays.  
It took two days to find the lone xenomorph in the spaceport and by then it had killed two more civilians and seriously injured one of the marines. Meanwhile, more civilians arrived at the spaceport, but the Marines would no longer let them in. They had to be checked out first, causing more delays and several shooting incidents as refugees tried to sneak in. Three more refugees were found to be infected and had to be killed, causing further trouble with the other civilians.

Then new reports had come in of xenomorph sightings further afield. They were popping up at multiple locations in the region around the city. The large area over which they appeared seemed to indicate that there were multiple hives. The marines launched drones and send out search parties. One of the hives was located in a cave system several kilometers from town. By then Singh had received reinforcements allowing him to launch an offensive in brigade strength. Skirmishes above ground were ended quickly in humanity's favor as armor and airpower obliterated every xenomorph they could find. However, as soon as the first troops reached the caves, the old problem returned. Once again, it came down to an infantry battle at point-blank range. Once again, the marines died to suicide attacks with exchange rates that became increasingly unfavorable as they came closer to the hive.  
Then again, as Singh had realized in despair, against an enemy such as this, any exchange rate was unfavorable. A single xenomorph warrior was not much more than a piece of ammunition and, as became increasingly clear, easily replaced. Even a cursory study had told him that a majority of the civilians had gone missing. Many of these had undoubtedly perished during the geth attack, but still, he had to take into account that xenomorph numbers, even for that one hive, were likely to be in the hundreds. Once again, the marines prevailed, albeit at considerable cost. Once again, the queen was killed and the hive destroyed, but once again it was clear that eggs had been removed and taken to unspecified locations.  
Meanwhile, at the other end of town, the xenomorphs had grown increasingly bold, they were re-entering the city and testing the defenses. By then the refugee flow had slowed down to a trickle, and patrols reported that both city and countryside seemed to be abandoned. The numbers of known survivors had been added up and compared to the last known figures for Eden Prime's population. The result was extremely disheartening and Singh had to face the reality that by then the total number of xenomorphs was likely in the thousands. Of those refugees that were still found in remote locations, a disturbingly large fraction proved to have been infected, leading analysts to speculate that they had been placed in the path of Marine patrols in the hope that they would be brought to the spaceport before the chestburster hatched.

Once more, marine reconnaissance drones and low-flying gunships tried to determine the approximate locations of the hives, but the difficulty of that task had increased considerably as it had become impossible for patrols on foot to move freely and investigate likely spots. Worse, the xenomorphs themselves were learning. When a hive was finally located in an industrial complex and the marines moved in, the images obtained through recon drones showed an interlinked system of two hives, each with its own queen, and with the eggs spread out in small packages over a dozen different rooms.  
No attempt was made to infiltrate the nest. Instead, the ground troops withdrew to a safe distance and a wing of F-302 fighter-bombers blasted the area using ground-penetrating missiles and incendiary bombs while Cheyene gunships circled the area looking for anything that tried to escape the blast. Arguably it was the most successful operation so far. Unfortunately, it had also been the last. Even as the hive system was exterminated, yet another group of xenomorphs suddenly hurled itself against the defenses of the spaceport in a concentrated effort to break through. The perimeter was breached but the Marines managed to contain it and repel the creatures. Still, it was grim news as it became clear that the attack had originated from inside the city, a clear indication that another hive had become active within the urban area. With losses mounting and Marine commanders increasingly reluctant to sacrifice their troops in direct attacks on the hives, another airstrike was contemplated, but Singh had vetoed it. Even if they managed to locate the new hive, and even if they were willing to carpet bomb a large fraction of the city, the reality was that they were losing the war. Multiple hives, each with hundreds of warriors were still operating in the countryside, with the xenomorphs ranging further and further away.  
One thing that had been learned from observations was that the old assumptions about the xenomorphs' ability to adapt to new hosts had, if anything, been an understatement. In several hives, remains of cattle and local wildlife had been found that had been used as incubators, meaning that the supply of potential hosts had effectively become infinite and no matter how many airstrikes they launched, the humans would never be sure that they had wiped them all out. That would require harsher measures and there was no point in sacrificing any more lives while they prepared for that. So, Singh had ordered the evacuation. While the marines fought a holding action against increasingly frequent xenomorph attacks along the perimeter, the last of the refugees were taken up to the waiting transport ships. Then the marines fell back toward the landing platforms, boarded their shuttles and departed.

"Signal the fleet to proceed with the mission."

There was a short delay, then the Lieutenant spoke. "Yes, sir."

Singh looked at the datapad one more time. "Let's see how the bastards deal with this."

 **-0-0-0-**

 **Feros**

"So far, so good." Shepard stood up in the turret of the Grizzly and looked around. The view was stunning. They were parked on the skyway, just outside the colony's garage and several hundred meters up in the air. All around her, she could see the massive skyscrapers of what must have been a prothean metropolis. "Well, I guess that protheans didn't suffer from vertigo. Seriously, who builds roads like this?"

"Guess they liked the view," Wrex grunted.

"I suppose." She shook her head and ducked back inside. "Jin, all systems functioning?"

"Yes, ma'am. They're behind on maintenance, but it's not too bad, and these old cars had a lot of redundancy built into them."

That was certainly true. The Grizzly APC and its various derivatives had been built to last, which was a big part of their appeal and one of the reasons that they were still in production, more than half a century after their introduction. They could be found anywhere. Among the Marines, Earth's Home Guard units, planetary militias and, as in this case, private security companies. Exogeni had brought several of them to Feros and they had been gathering dust in the garage ever since. Fortunately, Grizzlies were all pretty much the same in terms of controls, which meant that marines could use them easily. Even more fortunately, they were considerably larger than the MAKO, with a large, relatively spacious hold, which meant even a krogan could ride in them in relative comfort.  
 _Of course, there's no such thing as free lunch_ , Shepard grimaced. As much of an improvement as the Grizzly was over the MAKO in terms of carrying capacity, there were downsides as well. It didn't thrusters or an eezo core. If they went over the edge, or if the skyway crumbled beneath them, they'd just drop straight down and splat. Neither did it have shields, though Grizzlies made up for that with armor that was significantly thicker than the MAKO's. An aftermarket add-on that included a shield generator had become available in recent years, but Exogeni had clearly not bothered to invest in it. Worst of all, this particular model lacked firepower. All it carried was a heavy machinegun. Useful, yes, but nothing like the massive punch of the MAKO's mass accelerator gun. _Who would have thought I'd actually miss that rolling science project? Ah well, if this had been a MAKO, the lack of maintenance would have left it inoperable by now, so I guess I shouldn't complain too much._

"Well then, let's go!"

The Grizzly lurched forward and moved off.

 **-0-0-0-**

 ** **USM Victory, flagship 3rd fleet,** Eden Prime, in orbit**

There was an almost unnatural silence in the command center, as though everyone was holding their breath, waiting for whatever was about to happen.

"Final check. All personnel accounted for, all systems ready. Admiral?"

Singh closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Proceed."

The order went out. Six destroyers, circling the planet in low orbit and with their weapons already trained downward opened fire as they passed over the colony, sending a hail of mass accelerator slugs toward the planetary surface. Within seconds, a ring of dust from the impacts surrounded the colony. The warships kept firing, shifting their aiming points as they lay down a bombardment in concentric circles, closing in on what had once been the main city of Eden Prime. Soon, the entire area, consisting of hundreds of square kilometers was completely obscured by the dustclouds.

"Initial bombardment complete, sir. Standing by for second phase."

"Proceed with second phase. Authorization given for nuclear deployment in-atmosphere by my order. Confirmation code..." Singh rattled of the string of numbers.

"Standing by for confirmation, sir."

There was a moment's pause, then: "Response from Rear-Admiral Lansing aboard USM Medina-Sidonia. Nuclear release in-atmosphere confirmed."

"Then proceed."

Within minutes, the Medina-Sidonia, flagship of Singh's screening elements, passed over the dust-covered landscape and released a single missile, which sped down to the surface. Just before it reached the atmosphere, the nose-cone opened and split up into multiple warheads that made independent entry into the atmosphere. They made long, clearly visible trails as they fell down until they disappeared into the dust clouds.  
For a few moments, nothing seemed to happen, then, almost as once, ten fireballs appeared in the dust, spread out over the entire bombardment zone.

"Detonation confirmed. Second stage complete. Mission successful."

Light travels fast, but even so, it took several minutes before the light from these explosions reached the two Hierarchy frigates that had been observing the human operations from a discrete distance. The humans had known they were there, of course, had even sent a few fighter patrols after them during the early days. But more recently, they had been happy to ignore the turians, just as the turians had been happy to be ignored.

For several more minutes, nothing seemed to happen, then one of the frigates pivoted on its axis and accelerated away from the star system.

 **-0-0-0-**

 **Feros**

"Geth dead ahead." Shepard snorted as she said it. _No kidding! It's not like they could be anywhere else on this bloody road._ She looked through her gun sight as the Grizzly rolled forward. So far there seemed to be only standard infantry units, which would not be much of a threat. But if there were any rocket troops hidden among them, they'd be in trouble. Without a kinetic barrier, even a single hit could potentially cripple or even destroy the vehicle. _Better safe than sorry._ She pushed down on the firing controls and unleashed a storm of bullets that swept over the geth. _One down, two_ , _three, rocket! S_ hepard re-aimed the gun as soon as she saw the geth platform lift the launcher. A last burst and it tumbled down. _That was too close._

"Wrex, come with me. If there's any more of those rocket troops out there, we need to clear them out before we drive any further."

They disembarked and advanced slowly down the skyway.

"Commander?" Jin's" voice came over the comm-link.

"Yes?"

"I'm picking up some chatter on the radio. Someone's transmitting nearby."

"Really? Can you patch me in?"

"Sure."

There was a moment of silence then...

"-not going further down. *crackle* -fools' errant. I don't *crackle* says. Wait, there's someone out-"

"Sorry, ma'am. The transmission stopped."

"Pity. But at least there are some humans out there. Some here on the skyway and whoever they were talking too. I guess Fai Dan was a bit hasty dismissing that science team as dead and gone." Shepard looked around. To get backscatter from a radio through the general jamming that the geth were doing all over the area they'd have to be pretty close by and there just weren't many places where they could be.

"Over there," Wrex nodded with his head to a hatch at the side of the road. "I've seen these prothean skyways before. There's usually a tunnel off to the side where they run power conduits. Kind cramped for me, but humans would have no problem. I figure that's where they're hiding out."

"Let's check it out."

As they approached the hatch, they heard the sound of gunfire.

"I guess the geth found them." Shepard shook her head. "Here we go."

They dropped down through the hatch. The tunnel, like the skyway itself, was not in great shape, with pieces of the ceiling lying around on the ground and at least half the lights out. Still, there was enough light to see the two geth platforms ahead of them. A blast from Wrex's shotgun took out the first, even as it turned around to face them. The second backed away, taking cover.

"Grenade?" Wrex asked.

"No. I'd rather not set off any explosions on the skyway. This place is pretty banged up already. We'll just have to do it the old-fashioned way."

She advanced down the narrow tunnel, scanning for movement until she came to a support column. "I go left, you go right?"

"Sure."

They split up, advancing on the last place they'd seen the geth platform. Shepard's motion tracker showed nothing, not that she's really expected it to. Geth weren't organic. They only moved when they had reason to and when they sat still, they were completely immobile.

As Shepard came to the next support column, she spotted something in the darkness further down the tunnel. The geth had chosen a good hiding spot, in a place where multiple overhead lights had failed, but the long-wavelength infrared detector on her helmet could pick up the heat loss of its power core, even through the crate that it was crouched behind. Shepard smirked. Even robots seemed to be watching too many holovids. Or perhaps they just didn't realize that when it came to shooting through multiple layers, a chemically powered rifle had a big advantage. The hypervelocity, ultralight rounds of a mass effect weapon tended to shatter on impact, releasing all their energy on to the first thing they encountered. Often enough that sufficed to break though the armor, bit only as long s the armor consisted of one layer. An old-fashioned bullet that stayed in one piece just punched through everything it met until it ran out of momentum. She lifted her rile, and fired, straight into the crate.  
As expected, the armor-piercing round just punched straight through both sides of the crate and into he geth behind it. The platform rose, bringing its own weapon to bear, but got caught in the head by a shotgun blast from Wreax that ripped it wide open.

"Problem solved."

"Yeah, But you might want to take a look at this Shepard. Looks like those humans didn't make it."

Shepard walked over to where the krogan stood. The bodies of two humans, both riddled with gunshot wounds were lying on the ground. Clearly, first aid was not going to help them.

"What the hell were they doing out here? They said something about a fools' errant, but.-"

"Here." Wrex kicked against a box that was lying on the ground between the two bodies. "They must have been moving this, whatever it was. Must have been worth a lot, if they risked coming out here."

"Well, let's look."

Shepard knelt down and opened the lid. "Huh. Well, well." She switched on her communicator. "Jin, move the Grizzly up a bit. Then send T'Soni down. I think she ought to take a look at this."

 ** **-0-0-0-****

 **HNV Stalwart Defense**

"They did it. They actually did it."

"Yes, sir. The orbital bombardment took over an hour, and they used spinal mass accelerators, not just the broadsides. Then the nuclear weapons went down. A total of ten on a single missile."

General Corinthus nodded. "Just like what we heard about from Torfan, then."

"Not quite, sir. This time there was no trace of Cobalt in the explosion. These were enhanced radiation weapons instead. A massive initial radiation pulse to go along with the fireball, but very little in the way of radioactive isotopes. The environmental damage should be... limited"

"So good to know that the humans have a special nuclear weapon for each and every occasion. And all because of this 'biological agent' they claim the geth deployed."

He stood up, unable to sit still. "What is going on? What has the humans so scared that they'll sterilize their own colony, violate their own laws against the use of nuclear weapons on garden worlds, as well as the Council's Edict? They talked about some sort of biological threat, but all we could find was a story about some kind of animal, not a disease. Hardly a reason to wipe out a colony."

Corinthus sighed. "We'll have to send word to General Victus. Compile a report. All the raw data that our frigates collected as well as our assessment. We'll keep an eye on things, but as it is, I cannot predict the next human action. As it is, they may actually abandon Eden Prime completely and withdraw to Shanxi. If so, I would recommend that we mirror their stance and fall back on Relay 288. That should diffuse the situation and if the human carriers withdraw from the Utopia system, our presence here will no longer be needed."

His aid looked up. "With all due respect, Sir, but do you think that likely?"

"Likely, no, but neither did I think it was likely that they would drop thermonuclear weapons on their own planet, so I clearly don't excel at predicting human behavior. Right now, I'm trying to look for any positive news. Spirits know we can all us some."

 **-0-0-0-**

 **Feros**

"Commander?" The asari looked around in some confusion. "You said I needed to look at something."

"Yes. This is more your field than mine, but unless I'm sadly mistaken, we've got ourselves a box full of prothean knick-knacks."

"knick-?

"Stuff. Prothean stuff." Shepard kicked against the open box they had found.

Liara knelt down, careful not to look too much at the two dead humans. "Yes. It's prothean. Household items, mostly." She picked a few items up. "Not really interesting or valuable, at least not in academic terms. Musea all over the galaxy have collections like this." She looked up. "I don't understand. What were they doing here?"

"Other than getting their dumb asses killed? Smuggling. Cannot say I'm surprised. A small colony out in the ass-end of nowhere with tons of prothean stuff lying around. It may not be very interesting from a scientific point of view, but there is certainly a market for that stuff among collectors. Not enough to warrant an expedition, but if you're here anyway..." Shepard shrugged. "It's illegal, of course, to trade in Prothean artifacts without government oversight, but it's not like anybody really cares all that much about this kind of small stuff. As long as they kept it discreet and didn't force the Exogeni administrators to take action, you can bet that everybody was quite happy to look the other way. All these people had to do was pick up all the little odds and ends that they could find, stack them somewhere and sell them off to whatever shady trader that shows up here. Because they couldn't take it home. Not in large quantities. The customs people would confiscate it the moment they landed on a human core world. That explains what that salarian trader was doing here. I was wondering why he bothered, but now it makes sense. Between legitimate trade and a steady supply of prothean artifacts, I'm sure he made a tidy profit"

"Nice little set-up," Wrex grumbled. "They could pick it up for free, 'cause they were running around this place anyway, so it was all pure profit." He grinned. "Until the geth showed up."

"Yeah. So, I figure the science team and their security got caught in that building up ahead, but they haven't been wiped out and they're waiting for some kind of relieve effort. Smart move would be to cut your losses, but these morons here got greedy and still wanted to collect their stash. Perhaps they figured that if Exogeni sent help and extracted them, they could bring this stuff along and make it disappear in the general chaos. Seems it didn't work out too well." Shepard looked at the crate. "We might as well take it with us. I doubt it's worth much other than as souvenirs, but we've got plenty of room in the Grizzly and there's no point in leaving it here. Other than that, let's collect the name-tags from the bodies. Because I'm not dragging a bunch of corpses around with me. And then I guess we'll just continue down the skyway. Whoever they were talking to is still out there. Maybe we'll finally get some real answers."

 **-0-0-0-**

 **Near Relay 288**

"No. Absolutely not!"

"But-"

"Was I unclear?" Adrien Victus looked around the room. None spoke.

"Good. If the humans want to bombard their own planet, let them. If anything, it saves us the trouble. As for their violation of the 'no nukes on garden worlds' rule, that is for the Council to deal with. Let them file a diplomatic protest, or throw the humans off the Citadel if they want to take it that far. It has nothing to do with us.  
Now, as to this ridiculous proposal to join forces with General Corinthus, listen to me closely; and in future, try to think before you speak. There is a human officer out there, in command of a carrier group, who has just shown that he is willing to drop nuclear weapons on one of his own planets. That means he either received orders to do so or is at least convinced that his superiors will agree with his course of action. And with the United Systems Military in that mood, you want to concentrate our forces on their doorstep? Present them with a threat, strong enough to destroy any of the fleets they have in this region of space? Are you that eager to start a war?"

Again, no one spoke.

"Very well. General Corinthus has not asked for our assistance. If he does, and only then, will I consider redeploying. I don't know what has the humans so spooked. But whatever it is, right now their focus is not on us and we will make sure we keep it that way until they've calmed down."

Victus looked down at the conference table, taking a moment to collect himself.

"Send a message to the Citadel, copy to Hierarchy command. Give them our data and recommend that they push as many reinforcements as they can to a position one relay jump away from us. General Corinthus is right: The humans may stand down from their current posture, in which case we may all be able to go home, but we cannot take any chances."

 **!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-**

 _ **A/N.** When bombarding alien worlds use dirty nukes, when bombarding your own, use clean ones (or as clean as a nuke can be). It reminds me a bit of the early repeater guns that were designed to fire square bullets at heathens and round bullets at Christians. There are some unfortunate implications here but under the circumstances on Eden Prime, it is a sensible policy._

 _Human destroyer class ships are still being named after famous admirals, though this choice may not be the most obvious. Alonso Pérez de Guzmán y de Zúñiga-Sotomayor, 7th Duke of Medina Sidonia, was greatly maligned by popular accounts, in particular, British propaganda of the time. But, considering the mess he had to work with, he actually seemed to have been quite capable as a commander and his_ _administrative and logistical abilities_ were _quite remarkable, so, hey, why not?_

 _For the human-xenomorph 'war', I'm leaning on the Earth-hive books by Perry. He describes this situation: Humans win all the battles but lose the war. The only solution is large scale nuclear explosions, which, of course, means that in a way you're still losing because now you're blowing up your own planets._


End file.
